What's a hero? This is:

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

When a newcomer moves to the tiny island with his 15-year-old niece, everyone takes notice. But no one suspected Ken was a child molester until the girl fled his house one night for refuge at a neighbor’s.

Greenlaw surprised even herself by volunteering to take the girl in for a few days. But what started as an act of neighborly kindness turned into an unexpected mother/daughter relationship, with Greenlaw enrolling Mariah in private school, taking the abused girl to counseling and eventually going to court to become Mariah’s legal guardian.

Gradually, we see Greenlaw develop feelings of motherly pride and love as Mariah becomes not just a troubled teen but Greenlaw’s daughter.

Today, Mariah is a 21-year-old junior in college, majoring, fittingly, in social work.

Linda Greenlaw, author, sword boat captain, survivor, business owner, mom, hero: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_Greenlaw

[PJMcK]

1. A powerful and fascinating woman

She was the only female swordfish boat captain on the East Coast.

Her book, The Hungry Ocean, is a fabulous semi-biography and illustrates the bravery and seamanship Captain Greenlaw exhibits.

This is a wonderful story that further burnishes her reputation.

[Wonder Why]

2. What's a hero? Depends on one's opinion. I consider heroes to be those that risk something

like intentionally putting themselves in harm's way (or willing to do so). Those Freedom Riders were all heroes.

Doing good is wonderful. What she did was absolutely wonderful but I see no evidence of heroism. She was a Good Samaritan but there are many that do that, thank goodness.

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

3. My perspective on "hero" casts a wider net than many may first agree with.

I do acknowledge folks like Ed Silk: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_A._Silk or Bruce Crandall: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bruce_P._Crandall as heroes and don't want their courageous acts minimized.

My perspective is that many folks make a decision in a day or a moment that implies a commitment and don't or can't make it happen. As described in more than one dictionary, a hero is someone admired for outstanding achievements or noble qualities. IMO, victims of sexual abuse often experience continued abuse when good people standby and do nothing.

Trust me, 15 isn't an age where things are smooth. I suspect much worse from those leaving abusive situations. Choices like Linda's aren't about an incredible sacrifice or risk of likely death. Those acts are truly heroic. A decision and the years of subsequent dedication to a choice made is a daily sacrifice of time and a cost in opportunities, some lasting years, others for life.

As JFK expressed 62 years ago, "we need a nation of citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as a basic purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice for that freedom. The cause of liberty, the cause of America, cannot succeed with any lesser effort." Today, those in need may be the people of a nation on the Black Sea thousands of miles away or a single child next door.

OTOH, sword boat Captain isn't exactly low risk either. YMMV