What is a Hero?

I've seen and read to much lately about how "one day everyone will know my name," or "one day I'll be a hero." Webster defines a hero as "a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities" and in this day and age those are few and far between. It also defines a hero as "an object of extreme admiration and devotion". In a day when kids have heroes like Chad Johnson (Ochocinco) and Ryan Dunn I can only help but wonder if the day of the true hero is nearing its end. True hero's don't go looking for recognition.
The most recent that jumps to mind is the story of Salvatore Giunta. In November of last year (2010) Staff Sgt. Giunta received the Medal of Honor. The highest America's commemoration of valor, the first living recipient since 1976. But Giunta did not want to be referred to as a hero stating "“In this job, I am only mediocre. I’m average." "I did what I did because in the scheme of painting the picture of that ambush, that was just my brush stroke. That’s not above and beyond. I didn’t take the biggest brush stroke, and it wasn’t the most important brush stroke. Hearing the Medal of Honor is like a slap in the face."
Or how about Bill White. Mr. White and his family were having dinner at the IHOP in Joplin on May 22nd. The same day a massive EF-5 tornado ripped through town. It was his quick thinking that got everyone out of that IHOP alive. White spotted the tornado and got everyone into the cooler and freezer where everyone inside walked away with minor injuries. Bill Lant was also in IHOP that evening. "I keep telling Bill he's a hero," says Lant. "His daughter told me he doesn't like that"
Perhaps my favorite reference is to Myron Ranney. If you have ever seen the HBO Miniseries Band of Brothers then you may recognize the name. Staff Sergeant Myron "Mike" Ranney served in the 101st Airborne during World War II. In the final episode of Band of Brothers Major Richard Winters quoted from a letter Mike Ranney wrote to him "I cherish the memory of a question my grandson asked me the other day, when he said: 'Grandpa, were you a hero in the war?' Grandpa said, "No. But I served in a company of heroes." How deep is that?
These people , ladies and gentlemen, are real heroes. Real heroes don't one day set out to become heroes. Real heroes aren't in it for the money, titles, or accolades. Real heroes don't think in the heat of the moment "I'm going to do this and be famous". Real heroes are just normal people with the mindset and constitution to do things that need to be done and for no other reason than its the right thing to do.