Anselmo Alonso

A hero. When many people hear this word they automatically think of an all-star athlete, a famous singer, actor, or any other celebrities of that sort. But have you taken the time to recognize the hero that is right in front of your eyes? The hero that we may take for granted and not notice how much he means to us until he is gone? The hero that we call “Dad?"

My dad, Anselmo Alonso, was born in Matanzas, Cuba. At the young age of two years, my dad and his family escaped from Cuba just after Fidel Castro became dictator. They left almost everything behind, and fled to New York where they would begin a tough, but new life. Shortly after, they moved to Miami, Florida, and then to Puerto Rico.

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While my dad was in medical school, he met my mom, Annabel Galva. They married soon afterwards, and had my two brothers in Puerto Rico. They then moved to Columbus, Ohio, for my dad’s medical training, and stayed there for about two years. During the second year there, I was born. This was a very difficult time in my parents' life due to the lack of money. After my dad was done training to be a cardiothoracic surgeon, he was offered a job in Omaha, Nebraska, and he accepted. Life became easier, and my mom gave birth to my little sister, Arianna.

Although my dad worked long hours, he never complained and always came home with a smile on his face. He would always find time to play with all of his children even after a hard day at work. But one morning everything changed. My mom was giving me a bath when all of the sudden the phone rang. All I can remember is seeing my mom scream and drop the phone onto the bathroom floor. The police had called telling her about my dad’s serious car accident. The accident had caused my dad to become brain dead, and there was little chance of him surviving. A day later he was pronounced dead, on February 8, 1997. I was only five years old, and couldn’t believe he was never coming back.

For the five years I lived with my dad, I learned so much about life, but at the time I didn’t even realize it. My dad influenced my life more than I can ever imagine. He taught me to love life, and make the best out of everything. I believe that he is my hero because of his patience, his love, and his ability to never give up. Not only did he save many people’s lives because of his incredible intelligence in being a surgeon, but he also taught me what was wrong and what was right. This, to me, means more than what a super-hero does on television. Without my dad, I would have never been the person that I am today. My dad is my ultimate hero, and no matter where life takes me, he will always be a part of who I am.