Louis Zamperini

Louis Zamperini displayed determination, along with mental and physical strength, thus making him a heroic figure. https://www.gospelherald.com/articles/51811/20140703/christian-olympian-war-hero-louis-zamperini-dies-97-angelina-jolie-unbroken-release-christmas-day.htm“[Heroes are] just people who met their moment and left us speechless at what a human being is capable of” (Granger). David Granger, in the article “Boy, Do We Ever Need a Hero,” argues that any ordinary human being can become a hero with some dedication and leadership. Examples of ordinary heroic figures in everyday life include a parent, volunteer, club leader at school, or a community organizer. Everyone can display some form of dedication and leadership in their lifetime, yet, not everyone can be viewed as a hero. A hero is identified as someone “who met their moment”, as stated by Granger; the moment being when they overcame adversity to reach their overall objective in life, and ultimately received admiration for what they accomplished. Anyone who overcomes the greatest of obstacles, but has the will to strive to reach their highest potential in life, can also earn the respect of people around the world. To me, someone worthy of the title of a hero must demonstrate relentless determination, along with endless mental and physical strength. They do not just simply respond to their circumstances; they persevere against seemingly insurmountable odds through sheer mental and physical strength. A worthy hero is someone who will be determined to achieve their goal in life no matter the situation, while having positive mental and physical strength.

Many people consider Louis Zamperini the epitome of a true American herohttps://www.pinterest.com/pin/306104105900965330/The hero “who met their moment” after having faced a lifetime full of constant tribulations is Louis Silvie Zamperini. Born on January 26, 1917, in Olean, New York, Louis Zamperini had a troubled childhood. He came from a family that was not very financially stable, and even struggled to afford his medication when he became ill, forcing them to relocate to a warmer place in Torrance, CA. As a youthful troublemaker, Zamperini quickly became a social outcast because he would steal, fight, smoke, and even run away from home. When he first entered high school, he set a goal in mind to reverse the criminal path he had taken as a young boy. He excelled as a member of the Torrance High School track team, and proceeded to set the national high school mile record. Subsequently, he became a two-time NCAA mile champion record holder, and competed in the 5,000 meter race at the 1936 Olympic Games in Germany. Later on in life, Zamperini enlisted in the military as a bombardier to fight against Japan in World War II. However, as luck would have it, his plane crashed in the middle of the Pacific Ocean on May 27, 1943, during World War II. Although Zamperini survived the crash, he and two other crew members were stranded at sea for the next 47 agonizing days, and drifted for nearly 2,000 miles before being captured by the Japanese. As a Japanese Prisoner of War (POW), Zamperini was constantly tortured and humiliated for nearly two years. In 1945, when the U.S. won WWII, Zamperini was liberated from the prison camp, and freed from the savage treatment of his captors. Having survived a plane crash, being stranded at sea, and held in torturous captivity is life has become a source of inspiration to the people of our nation. Throughout his painful experience, he remained determined to survive, and kept a strong and positive outlook. His experiences show that even against the most dire of circumstances, anyone can still achieve their goal with a strong will and strength. Louis Zamperini was not just a blazing fast runner; he exhibited unwavering determination, along with quiet mental and physical strength, allowing him to overcome life-threatening adversity, thus ultimately earning him the title of a heroic figure.

Louis Zamperini (left) displaying unrelenting determination while running to win the race.https://treningbiegacza.pl/louis-zamperini-tragiczna-historia-biegacza-ktory-poruszyl-swiatLouis Zamperini displayed remarkable determination and never allowed anything to come in the way of his path to success and liberty. Most people lose hope and give up on their dreams when faced with a difficult challenge; however, Zamperini was the exact opposite. After he joined the high school track team, Zamperini committed himself to remain on the right path to become an elite runner. As a mature teenager, he steadfastly trained every day, no matter the circumstance: “To stay on the straight and narrow, I made a secret pact with myself to train every day for a year, no matter what the weather. If I missed working out at school, or the track was muddy, I’d put on my running shoes at night and trot around my block five or six times, about a mile and a half” (Rensin and Zamperini 23). Even if he missed a day of training, Zamperini would go out on his own time to run, and worked toward his singular goal of becoming a championship runner, displaying the drive inside of him to get better. Any hero must have determination in order to be successful, regardless of their situation.  Zamperini displayed a prime example of heroism through his tireless determination, as he did not let anything come in the way of his success in running. After being captured by the Japanese at sea, Zamperini faced even more horrific adversity. Matsuhiro Watanabe, or “The Bird” as nicknamed by the prisoners, was the most ruthless and barbaric Japanese sergeant that Zamperini encountered at the POW camp in Japan who would routinely torture, beat and starve him, and subject him to medical experiments. Watanabe’s mission, which seemed to become more and more apparent as time in the POW camp went on, was to break Zamperini’s indomitable spirit: “Louie heaved the beam up… He felt his consciousness slipping, his mind losing adhesion, until all he knew was one thought: He [Watanabe] cannot break me” (Hillenbrand 302). Zamperini was forced to hold a dense wooden beam above his head. However, like any other antagonist, the challenge presented by “The Bird” came with a catch: if Zamperini lowered the heavy piece of wood, he would immediately be shot with a gun. However, since Zamperini had become malnourished at the prison camp, he did not have a healthy body weight, and it seemed impossible to lift the beam. Yet through sheer willpower, Zamperini managed to heave the beam above himself for a total of 37 minutes, exemplifying unrelenting determination and spirit. He did not let Watanabe overpower him, and persevered to lift the wood because he did not want to face defeat. By thinking that Watanabe could not break him, Zamperini emulated the picture perfect definition of determination that everyone should come to follow. Louis Zamperini, an inspiration to all, exhibited determination first through his talent as an Olympic runner, and then through his will to live in the Japanese POW camp.

Louis Zamperini in thought. https://www.breitbart.com/national-security/2014/12/30/satanic-japanese-torturer-of-unbroken-hero-louis-zamperini-unrepentant-in-1998-interview/Since birth, Louis Zamperini physically pushed himself to the limit, while demonstrating  mental strength when faced with misfortune. His strong mentality is what continues to inspire many people around the world, and enables him to be called a hero. When his plane crashed in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Zamperini did not panic. While he lay stranded in the middle of the vast ocean, he maintained his composure by speaking, narrating, meditating, and praying, allowing him to keep a strong and positive mindset: “I said, ‘Fellows, we’ve been praying about everything else, so let’s just pray for water, and sit back and relax. Otherwise we’re going to kill ourselves.’ I meditated and started speaking” (Rensin and Zamperini 98). The fact that he resorted to praying to remain calm, and not panic given his miserable situation is beyond astonishing. He knew that if he went into a panic mode, it would only make it harder for him to survive, so it would be better to pray for support. He didn’t let the fact that he lay stranded in the middle of the ocean with no food affect him, and he continued to keep a strong mindset to escape the reality of the situation. Zamperini didn’t give up, even when faced with little hope of survival. He survived through an ordeal, unimaginable to many people, by having the mental fortitude and awareness throughout the situation, thus displaying heroism. In the prison camp, Zamperini dealt with indescribable torment from the Japanese sergeant, but remained strong throughout the harrowing experience. Additionally, knowing that he would be violently punished, Zamperini persistently refused to do anything his Japanese captors asked of him: “But when he refused to read one script, he was sent to a camp run by Japanese sergeant Matsuhiro Watanabe, who tortured him, keeping him on the brink of death. At one point he had to hold a large wooden beam over his head for 37 minutes; Watanabe then punched him in the stomach, and the beam fell, knocking Zamperini out” (Gale 16). By holding a heavy beam of wood above himself while on the verge of death, Zamperini demonstrated mental strength because he believed in himself to bear through the torture, and he knew he could do it. The mental strength that Zamperini demonstrated fueled his physical strength, allowing him to undergo the agony of holding a heavy wooden beam over his weak, scrawny body. This act of supreme mental fortitude and physical strength is difficult to achieve for any ordinary person. Throughout all the hurdles he faced, such as being stranded at sea, and being tortured by the Japanese, his formidable strength allowed him to survive. Louis Zamperini exhibited heroism, and left an inspiring story behind for others to look up to with his will to stay alive.

Louis Zamperini, a hero to many, lifting a heavy beam above himself, and being tortured by the Japanese in a POW camp during WWII.https://deadline.com/2014/12/unbroken-louis-zamperini-angelina-jolie-57-year-long-movie-biopic-odyssey-1201339036/Louis Zamperini met with “the moment” when he overcame the unfortunate timeline of hardships which he had been forced to endure. Zamperini experienced the depths of despair and self-destruction before he soared to the heights that he could not have foreseen or imagined. Along with the success he had as a championship runner, Zamperini also showcased relentless determination, mental and physical strength, raising his stature to a heroic figure. Zamperini achieved what many thought to be impossible, by going beyond the traits of an ordinary human being, and displaying heroic qualities. Zamperini can be recognized as a heroic figure because of his tenacity and enduring willpower to survive. Even after going through a very dismal childhood, Zamperini never dreamt small. He had the drive to reach whatever life goal he had in mind, to conquer any tribulations, and be remembered forever. I view him as a true “never give up” hero, because of his undying spirit, along with mental and physical toughness. I consider Zamperini worthy of the title of a hero because anything less would fail to justify his accomplishments. After learning about Zamperini, I have come to love the sport of running, and have become a member of the high school track team. As a distance runner, I aspire not only to be as fast as Zamperini, but to also live up to the legacy he left behind. I most definitely have benefitted from his story, because every time I am facing seemingly insurmountable odds, I know I can overcome them with some determination and strength. Looking back at Zamperini, I understand that he did what he did in life because he knew he could. He believed in himself. Like him, I want to be a hero and be able to know that I can achieve any goal I wish for.