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Matthew Walsh

by Hannah from Pickerington


To me, a hero is someone who goes against the status quo and sticks up for the "little guy." In my eyes, the hero is someone who tries to make a difference. In other words, a hero puts others in front of themselves. A hero is willing to put forth effort for someone else's benefit.

I think it's important to have a hero or at least someone to look up to. I like to think of life as a dark path with many twists and turns. A lot of people make wrong turns and get lost along the way. Having a hero is like a beacon of light on this road. It leads your way so you make good decisions and go the right way in life. Having a hero helps you keep your life on track and put your goals in perspective.

Matthew portrays characteristics of a hero. "I always made sure to protect you little ones, no matter what." (Werlin, 12) This quote portrays how he always tried to look out for the defenseless. When Matthew felt like there was danger, he acted immediately. "We can't go on like this." (Werlin, 79) Also, he used his emotions to his advantage, which takes a lot of training. "Fear is your friend. When you feel it, act." (Werlin, 112) Matthew was like a a gorilla; he had his sisters on his back and was willing to fight for them. These characteristics are what made him a true hero.

Matthew should definitely be inducted into the Hero Hall of Fame. He acted when no one else was willing. He took his little sister into the bathroom so she wouldn't have to face their mother's wrath. He walked miles to try to find his kidnapped little sister, even though he knew it put his own life in danger. He reached out to adults to try to get help for his family. Mathew put others' safety before himself and for that, he deserves hero credentials.

Question: What made you realize you needed to get yourself and your sisters away from Nikki? Answer: The big wake up call for me was probably when she almost killed us all on the freeway. She said she was just "having some fun" but in all actuality, she could have not only harmed herself, but also all of us kids with her. It was after this incident, after looking death in the eyes, that i decided we needed to get away from her- and fast. Question: Who did you go to first for help? Answer: I went to my step dad first because I knew that even though he didn't see Cally or me very often, he still loved us. I figured he was our best bet even though he was scared of Nikki. Question: Why did you take such good care of your sisters? You were just a kid, didn't you want to do other things? Answer: Of course I wanted to do other things. There were times when I would have given almost anything to just have a normal life and not have to deal with the stress and uneasiness Nikki made me live with, but my sisters were my family. You have to put your family before everything, that's just the right thing to do. Question: Did you ever think of someone as a potential savior? Answer: I thought Murdoch would be our savior for sure. When I got to know him, I saw him as a strong man who wouldn't let anything happen to us. He made me feel safe. Question: Were you mad that your dad didn't take you guys in immediately? Answer: Even though I knew he couldn't afford to take us in and that it would be nearly impossible for him to get custody, I was very mad. I wasn't angry so much at him not taking us as much as I was that it seemed like he wasn't even willing to try. Question: Would you consider your aunt a hero? Answer: Of course. She overcame her fear of Nikki and really became a mother to all three of us. Question: Was Murdoch as much of a hero as you thought he'd be? Answer: Honestly, no. At times, I felt like he wanted nothing to do with us. I thought he would help us as soon as he saw how terrible Nikki really was, but he worked slowly, almost as if to say, "You guys can just tough it out." Question: What was the scariest thing Nikki ever did? Answer: Without a doubt, I was the most terrified when she kidnapped Emmy. I knew she could (and would) do anything. It was the unknown that scared me the most. I didn't know where Emmy was or if she was okay. I was worried she'd be killed. Question: Do you have any haunting memories? Answer: I'm still haunted by the time I woke up to Nikki giggling and pressing a knife to my throat. She could have killed me. That incident really shows me just how sick and twisted Nikki was. Question: Are you worried of leaving Emmy when you go to college? Answer: I think she'll be alright. She has Aunt Bobby to look up to now. She's in good hands and Nikki's away for good this time. For the first time, I'll be able to rest easily.

Page created on 4/17/2011 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 4/17/2011 12:00:00 AM

The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.

Related Links

Prevent Child Abuse America - This website helps kids everyday who went through the same things as Matthew and his sisters.

Extra Info

This was the dumbest book ever. The kids were hardy even abused.
 

Author Info

After reading Nancy Werlin's novel, "The Rules of Survival," I was compelled to create this web page in honor of the book's hero, Matthew Walsh. The book is a gripping tale of the every day struggle three kids go through to try to survive living with their abusive an unstable mother, Nikki. Throughout the book, the children undergo psychological games, receive physical abuse, and feel helpless. This was a suspenseful book that I highly recommend.