John Garr

Great heroes are strong, brave, courageous, intelligent, and honest. Today I’m going to tell you about my hero, the greatest hero of all time. His name is John Garr. I’ve only known him for 2 ½ years now but he is still my hero. He was my tennis coach until he had to leave to find a new job, because he wasn’t getting paid enough in his old job. His old job was being a tennis coach and a helicopter pilot/coastguard reserve. Now his job is a helicopter pilot/coastguard reserve and he also works for Fidelity Investments. Right now he is living in downtown Boston. He and some other tennis pros are getting together to make an academy in Uganda, Africa to teach kids tennis. He is also trying to get involved with an organization to help teach underprivileged kids tennis. At the stunning age of 34 he has 2 children and a 3rd is due in August. His oldest child is 3 ½ and is named Caleb. His youngest child is 14 months and is named Mikayla. He has a busy life but always makes time for his family.

John Garr is my hero in so many fantastic ways. One reason he’s my hero is because he made me believe that I could do anything if I believed. He did this by telling me the story of how he won his wife, Jackie Garr’s love. The story is that Jackie liked these two guys and they played a tennis match against each other to win Jackie. It was a tough match but John won and won Jackie’s heart. The guy he played though was ranked in the top 5 in Georgia for men’s tennis. Another reason he is my hero is because when I was younger I used to get so upset when I lost a tough tennis match, but he was always there when I got off the court to make me feel better. He would also help me improve what I did wrong in that tennis match. He was and still is my favorite tennis coach. He pushed me really hard then, and I wasn’t ready for it, but without him I wouldn’t have been nearly as good as I am now. I was really close to him and still am, but I tear up when I think of him. I remember when it was a rainy day at academy and he told everyone that he was moving. He said everyone had tears in their eyes and were begging him not to leave. Another thing that makes him my hero is that he came to my house personally to tell me he was leaving. He came to my house and I remember talking to him on the couch, in the front room, and crying my heart out. It was a sad night but all in all as long as he has food to eat and a roof to live under, I’m happy.

John Garr is both similar to and different from the Greek heroes. He is similar because he is compassionate for wanting to get involved with those organizations that help teach underprivileged kids tennis. He is so very nice to help me with my tennis then and now. Even though he left he still emails me about my tennis and how I could improve. He is strong-minded to beat that guy in tennis for Jackie’s love. Some differences are that he thinks before he does things like before he told everyone that he was leaving, he thought to himself if he should tell them then. Also, he makes good choices. Instead of staying in Savannah and losing money he went on to a traveling job to get more money. John Garr is a great hero to me and even though I tear up every time I think of him I know he is alive and well, so that makes me feel better. John Garr is my brave, strong, strong-minded, nice, fantastic, hero.