From the... Editor's Desk
Who are your heroes?
By Chad Wilson

Hero: a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities, one that shows great courage -Merriam Webster Online Dictionary.

From childhood we all develop our own sense of what a hero is, and what they mean to our lives.

As kids we have heroes like Batman, Superman, He-Man and more but as we age so does our heroes.

Sure, some of us may still like Batman but almost all of us have people in our lives we consider a hero to us.

Last week's Statesman honored two former BISD employees who, by one reason or another, became heroes to students they encountered throughout their career.

Who is your hero? Why?

It is always important to remember who our heroes are and why they mean so much to us.

In most cases our heroes have some positive trait that we admire or have touched our lives a great deal.

I have two heroes that I remember on a regular basis, one someone I have never met and the other is someone I am very close to.

My hero that I have never met is Muhhamad Ali. Sure some people do not like Ali because of his attitude or religion but what Ali means to me is something we do not see much of in society today.

While in the prime of his boxing career Ali was drafted into the Military, but because of his religious beliefs he would not serve in the military.

His career was taken away for several years and his heavy weight title was stripped as he refused to join the military. Ali stood up for what he believed in, no matter the cost.

Today when the going gets tough, too many people give in. Ali believed in his religion and stood up for it with the eyes of the United States on him.

Sure there were things about Ali that were not hero-like but his willingness to stand up for what he believed and in turn sacrificing everything is why he is one of my heroes.

My other hero is my former pastor and current mentor Marty Thomas.

I first met Marty in 2004 while he was the pastor at Grace Chapel in Tyler. We hit it off right away and have a great relationship to this day.

What I admire about Marty is that his first love is God followed by his family. There is no doubt about Marty's faith and to this day he is the closest example of Christ I have seen.

No, he is not perfect, but the love, compassion and wisdom he shows I have not personally seen in another man.

Marty is great with his family, always making sure they are taken care of and that they all live for the cause of Christ.

Currently Marty is a Missionary with Calvary Commission of Lindale. His website is www.missionsinmotion.spaces.live.com.

I could go on about both men and what they mean to me, but I want to hear your voice.

Is there someone who has helped shape your life that lives here in the Brownsboro and Chandler area? Do you have a hero in this area that you would like all to know about?

If so write a letter to the editor and brag about your hero. Please limit the letter to 200 words or less. Submit your letter by email, regular mail, fax or drop by our office with your letter.