The definition of HERO

"In nothing do men approach so nearly to the gods as doing good to men." - Cicero
Hero. A word used way too often in these modern times. What defines a hero? Is it the firefighter rushing into a burning building? The cop who saves the day by placing his own life on the line against desperate criminals? Yes, I think those fit the bill. What about the athlete who pushes through the pain, or the single mom who works two jobs to support her family? Does it apply to the good Samaritan who got your car running when it stalled on the highway and then refused any kind of payment? Or what about the quarterback who scores the winning touchdown in the closing seconds of the Superbowl? As I said, the word has become overused and misused in almost every concept. I think that the word hero is best defined in two words - Irena Sendler. I could go on and on and rewrite what has already been written about her, but instead I'll just post the link.
http://www.myhero.com/myhero/hero.asp?hero=Holocaust_Celebrity_AP
Selflessly this brave young woman rescued over 2500 children from almost certain death from starvation, disease and genocide. She has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and in a sane world the other contenders would bow out. (Of course in a sane world, Jimmy Carter and Arafat would never have been nominated)
This is the true meaning of hero.
For more info:
http://www.irenasendler.org/
http://www.auschwitz.dk/Sendler.htm