Riquelme Maciel

What is a hero? Each person has a different point of view to describe the characteristics of their hero. To me, a hero is somebody who is brave, caring, and who does good deeds. While I was searching the web, I came across a story about a 5 year old boy, who saved a 1-year-old girl from her burning house in Brazil.

news reporters asking Riquelme about the event.

Riquelme Maciel, a 5-year-old boy, was playing in his backyard with his friend, when suddenly he saw smoke coming out of a house nearby. He was wearing a Spiderman costume. When he went to tell his friend's mother, she was too afraid to go into the house filled with fire. So Riquelme decided to go in the house himself. This was quoted by the mother: "He said, 'don't cry, don't scream because I'm going to save Andrielle.' Then I began shouting for him not to go because I was scared he would die along with her in the fire." He saved the baby girl and himself from the fire. This is what I call a true hero.

Riquelme with the girl he saved and her mother. (Notice the house in the background.)

My hero saved a life, just at the age 5 years old! He didn�t fear for his own life, but the life of another. I believe Riquelme Maciel is a hero because he stepped up and saved a life, when others were too afraid to enter the burning house. Riquelme Maciel plans to become a fire fighter so that he can save more lives. Like his hero Spiderman, he became the talk of the town. "He brings us back the hope that superheroes existed which we used to have when we were children!" This quotation was written by a person who responded to the story on a website.

I chose this boy as my hero because he is a brave, selfless, and a caring person, the three characteristics that I seek in a hero. I also picked this story because it�s not everyday you hear that a 5 year old boy entered a house on fire to save a little girl! Although it is not recommended that children risk their lives in a fire, the story interested me, and I knew that it would be different then other stories.

"Fire department's chief Jose de Macedo praised the boy's bravery, but warned parents and children about copying his actions. He said: 'It is very dangerous. This requires a trained crew and proper gear. So we pass on this warning that it is not recommended.'"

A hero is someone who is brave, selfless, and a caring person. I learned that no matter what the age, anyone can be a hero, and that there are so many caring people in our world.