Travis Pastrana

A picture of my hero (MotorTrend ())

Some heroes literally save the world and others inspire us to do more with our passions. Travis Pastrana, a rally car and motocross rider, is a hero who inspires me to do great things.

At the age of 4, Travis was taught and rode ATV's and dirt bikes. He started to compete and won five Loretta Lynn National Amateur Crowns. At the age of 14, he won the World Freestyle Championship in 1998. Since he was still attending school, Travis had to graduate early so he could continue with his passion in motocross. His willingness to focus on the sport instead of going to school is an example of his determination.

Travis breaking a record (ESPN ())

As he grew, he produced, directed, and broke multiple records. He was an unstoppable train. His most famous record was the first motocross rider to perform a double backflip at the X Games in 2006. He also continued to perform different stunts on the MTV show Nitro Circus, a show where multiple athletes risk their lives to break records and achieve moments of glory.

He inspires me to continue working hard on what I love to do no matter how old I am. His efforts tell me to never take shortcuts. Travis tells me to be real. "With me, what you see is what you get," Travis says about his stunts(Pastrana). They are not fake, and he is honest with what he does. If he fails, he tries again until all his bones are broken. The way he pushes himself even inspires many of his close friends.

What sets Travis Pastrana apart from other riders is his determination to succeed and how he does not quit which helped me with my everyday life. Everyday when I work with my engineering club or play tennis, I think about what Travis would do and push myself over the limit with full determination. Over the summer, I participated in a tennis tournament in which I got injured. My ankle swelled, and the game was close. I wanted to forfeit the match, but Travis kept me going. A determined man with a determined goal.  To me, that is a true hero.