Jarell Brooks

Jarell Brooks is a Colorado teenager who was raised to fear God, respect women and make good decisions, who was also the son of a pastor. Jarell was 6 feet tall and 4 inches. He turned into a real life superhero on July 20th, 2012. On that Friday was the midnight premiere of Batman's "Dark Night Rises". A masked gunman stormed in a packed theatre and killed 12 innocent people, and wounded 58 others. Jarell Brooks, age 19, saw a mother and her two children struggling to get out of the theatre. The mother's name was Patricia Legarreta who was alone with he 4 year old daughter and 4 month old son. The first thing he realized was that she had children, and he should lead them to safety before he got himself out. He led them the children to safely when no one else could.

While he was leading the mother and he children to safety, he got shot in the leg, and the mother got shot as well. As a mother of two young children, alone with no help at all, this was a blessed time for them. Jarell is a hero on the spot because he didn't even think to save someone's life that day, but at that moment, he knew that's what he had to do. I think Jarell Brooks is a hero because he didn't leave and let them figure this out on their own. He helped them. He saved them. Jarell helped a family he didn't even know, while everyone else was just trying to save themselves. When he saw the mother and children struggling he should immediately help them, even if he was most likely to get hurt in the process. When he got shot he was hurt, but he was glad that he saved a family in the mean time. He is still alive today thankfully. Jarell bravely faced a heavily-armed gunman, who is supposedly said to be James Holmes. A 24-year-old University of Colorado- Denver PhD student.

At that time Patricia was happy to know that there are still good people in the world, even if you don't know them, they still care enough to help you during these tough times. Knowing that Jarell has saved three lives, I know that he was being brave, courageous, heroic, and anything that fits under that category. Jarell embodies the characteristics of a hero by being helpful, and a hero on the spot. He was able to help right there and then.

Jarell Brooks: A real life hero.

This young man has inspired me that you don't need to be a hero already to save someone's life. He showed me to think about others first, and yourself afterwards, even if that does mean you are going to get hurt in the process. Jarell saved a family's life by a simple action. Jumping in front of them and shielding them from the bullets being launched at them. While he got hurt in the process, he was just happy the family was alive. I think he will inspire others that if someone's troubled, you should help them, even if you don't know them. Just be a hero.