Robert D. Ballard

A hero is a person or animal who can help those in need. They can be known for doing brave deeds, or they can be a role model. Heroes don’t have to be famous or well-known. I have a hero who is not afraid to take risks. His name is Robert D. Ballard.

Robert D. Ballard was born June 30, 1942 in Kansas, but grew up in San Diego, California. Robert is a person who is not afraid to explore the unknown. He is a person who likes to explore the sea. Robert Ballard is very determined to discover or find new things in the mysterious ocean. His inspiration to be a deep sea explorer came from reading the book, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. His hero when he was little was Captain Nemo.

One of his early accomplishments was discovering the Titanic. Robert Ballard said, “Only one person has ever died from a deep submersible, only one. It is probably safer than flying from here to LaGuardia.” While he and his crew were looking for the Titanic, they lost their tracking. Even though the captain wanted to stop the mission, Ballard would not give up. His determination kept the crew successfully moving forward.

Robert Ballard inspires me. I learned from him that if there is something I really want to do, I should go for it. He has lived his dream, but risks his life to do it. Robert Ballard is not afraid of the dangers the unknown ocean presents. He teaches me to face my fears. My hero has taught me that he lived his dream. If he has, I can too!