A Silent Hero in Our Midst – Creative Writing Essay (100 Level Course)
A hero can be defined as someone who finds a way to overcome adversity despite the perils. My Uncle John holds true to this statement and much more. My uncle’s bravery allows him to work as a New York City firefighter, where he takes risks every day. His strong sense of responsibility enables him to hold many challenging jobs. He is a nurse, firefighter, volunteer, and a loving father.
All of his patients and survivors know him for his caring personality, which is displayed when he puts the lives of others before his own. Ultimately, his bravery, responsibility, and caring personality make him a modern day hero.
John portrays his bravery every day in the many life-threatening jobs he performs. From the early age of 22, my uncle has been a New York City firefighter. On the September 11th tragedy, my uncle was one of the first firefighters there. He helped save about 287 people from the building before it came crashing down. Many people would not have gone anywhere near the burning towers, but my uncle’s bravery helped him to save many innocent people. Furthermore, his bravery allows him to risk his own life while helping others. He runs into buildings with dangerous chemicals and toxins knowing that he could die at any moment. His amazing courage allows him to fight these dangerous fires every day. Helping on September 11th and risking his life for the lives of others are two things that illustrate my uncle’s bravery.
My Uncle John displays his strong sense of responsibility in the jobs he takes on. As a New York City firefighter, my uncle’s job can get pretty intense. Despite the hard times in his firehouse, he somehow manages to take on two jobs. He also works the night shift as an emergency room nurse, which only gives him a few hours of sleep some nights. He must carefully plan how he is going to spend his time. My uncle also manages the huge responsibility of having a family. With four grown children and a new baby, he must find time to spend with his family. He also must provide his family with money because his wife can no longer work with the baby. Ultimately, being able to juggle two challenging jobs while managing to provide for a family of six, my Uncle John portrays a strong sense of responsibility.
My Uncle John is known by friends and family for his caring personality. Every night, after leaving the firehouse, he drives down to the hospital where he works as an emergency room nurse. I once asked him how he was able to stay alert during the long working hours, and he told me that he only does it for his patients. He constantly talks about how much he loves seeing the faces of the hundreds of survivors that he helps save. Another example of his loving personality is that he is a volunteer for the organization that helps raise money for cancer. My Uncle’s sister, my Aunt Sherry, passed away five years ago. Ever since Sherry’s death, my uncle has volunteered his free time on this task. He often visits the cancer patients when he works in the hospital, and he has formed many friendships with them. My Uncle John’s work as an emergency room nurse and as a volunteer for cancer fundraisers illustrates his caring personality.
Overall, my Uncle John’s bravery, responsibility, and caring personality have transformed him into a modern day hero. The bravery needed to risk his life by fighting fires is something that many people would not even consider. He displays responsibility by being able to hold two jobs while providing for a family of six. My uncle’s hard work at the hospital and long hours of volunteer work illustrate his caring personality. He puts his life second behind the lives of the innocent people he saves every day. He has become a role model for many people today, and he will continue to inspire many more.