What makes someone a hero? Many people think that a hero has to change the world or give their life to save someone, but this is not always the case. I feel that my dad, Joseph, is the perfect example of an everyday hero. He was born in Syracuse, New York and then moved to Florida before coming to settle in New Orleans. He had a very difficult childhood, which made him the strong, successful individual that he is today. He attended Jesuit high school and continued on to UNO for college. He has worked very hard to become a successful engineer, and he still manages to keep a smile on his face. My dad possesses a combination of key traits that I feel make him a hero. Joe is a hero because of his bravery, wisdom, and generosity.

Joe is one of the bravest people one could meet, which is an essential personality trait of a hero. He was brought up in a very disjointed family with parents that got divorced and remarried during his childhood. He is the oldest of three boys and was forced to raise them himself, due to parents that were rarely around. My dad gave up most of his teenage years, including social events and school functions, to babysit his younger brothers. When he was a sophomore in high school, he met a girl with flaming red hair and fought up the courage to ask her out. As a result of this momentary burst of bravery, he met his future wife, and the rest is history. He is always up for a crazy adventure and has provided me with some of the best memories of my life. He says yes to nearly anything I ask him to do, no matter how strange or dangerous. Even with a rocky childhood, my dad possessed amazing bravery making him the hero that he is today.

Wisdom is a trait that my dad has acquired over years and years of living and gaining experience. No one in his family had gone to college or gotten a formal degree of any kind, so naturally my dad was not expected to attend Jesuit, much less make it through college. The family had very little money, especially with three children to get through school. By some miracle, my dad was able to scrounge up the money and discipline to get through. He was never pushed to make good grades, but had the wisdom to become a very successful engineer. Whenever I need help or get a little overconfident in my “knowledge”, he is always there to humble me with the amount of knowledge he possesses, from gardening to quantum physics. Joe was born with an astonishing amount of knowledge, but he also has an interest to always learn more and more about the world.

Generosity is an uncommon trait that I feel my dad has and displays in his daily life. It is easy to become frustrated with people and treat them with animosity, but it is difficult to maintain a smile through the hardest of times. My dad, as a project manager, works with a lot of people who can get tiring, but he is always able to get everything done. No matter what kind of day he has had, he can always come home and put on a happy face. Whenever I need something, he is always there to help with little or no complaint. I am an only child, so my dad is like the brother I never had. He understands what I am going through and helps me get my mind off of it. My dad is also very friendly and can strike up a conversation with anyone, no matter where we are or what mood he is in. Generosity is an important trait to have, and I feel that it is one of the characteristics that makes my dad a hero.

Joe possesses bravery, wisdom, and generosity, which are crucial traits of an epic hero. Although he had a difficult childhood with more responsibilities than typical teenagers, he was able to overcome adversity and become a very brave person. Since he has known worse times, he has worked tirelessly to give me the best life possible. He acquired knowledge and has used it to better the world. His kindness and generosity are extraordinary considering his circumstance. Because of this, he is a person that I can look to as an example, which makes him a hero. Heroes are often described as larger than life, but most of the time one does not have to look to the news or movie screen to find a hero. Most of the time the most genuine and influential heroes are right in front of you.