Keeling 1

Allison Keeling
Mrs. Dietrich
Honors English 10
November 13, 2016
The Impact of Heroes: Explanatory Essay
A hero is someone who is always determined to achieve their goals and they try their
absolute hardest to achieve them. A hero sets the bar for themselves extraordinarily high and they
still manage to meet the bar they set. They never give up on any task they are determined to
achieve and they are always encouraging others around them to do the same. A hero is
courageous, a leader, never afraid to take risks, they set an example for others, and they urge
others to succeed as well as themselves. They are selfish but also not selfish at the same time,
meaning they love the feeling of accomplishing a great feat, but they also work hard for their
family or friends that could be relying on them.
The hero of my life is my dad because throughout his whole life he has never given up on
anything. My dad when he was in high school struggled to be a good student, but he had
managed to get into a less renowned school, Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He was also
born into a blue collar family, who did not really see the purpose of spending money to go to
college. He went and vowed that he would get straight As all through college and that he would
make a name for himself. When he got out, his business degree from IUP had not allowed him
many job opportunities, which prompted him to get his masters degree from Duquesne
University and become a Certified Public Accountant. Today he is an Executive Vice President
of a large company involved in medical billing. My dad exudes the quality of setting the bar

Keeling 2
extraordinarily high and meeting it because he would not be where he is today if he had not. He
is a leader to the hundreds of people who is he the boss of, but he is still always willing to help
anyone at work with any project he may be experienced with. The most important quality of hero
that he possesses is that he works hard at his job so my family and I live a great life. He works so
my family can go on vacation to have new experiences and to teach my brother and me life
lessons. My dad is a hero because he is courageous, a great leader to all, takes risks for my
family, and sets a great example for me, as well as, encourages me to succeed.
My dad impacts my life significantly because he has made me the person I am today
through everything he has taught me on how to be successful. He always encourages me to try
my hardest in school, in volleyball, and in basically everything I do. My dad passes on his traits
and tricks that had made himself successful in life to my brother and I, as well as, he teaches us
important life lessons. He wants my brother and I to succeed more than anything, he always says
that when we grow up that if we are more successful in our careers than he was then that would
make him incredibly happy. His accomplishments have taught me that I want to build a life for
myself in the future that I will be proud of and most importantly happy with, just as he is. My
dad teaches me that anyone can be their own hero, no matter where they come from as long as
they try their absolute hardest towards any goal they strive to achieve.