My ordinary Hero

Through out these last years of hardship, I have come to know and respect many people, one of which I will always view as a hero. At this moment I can see him rolling his eyes and completely ignoring the fact that I have referred to him as a hero. He is a relative on my husband's fathers side. I had seen this person only a very small number of times and had never spoken to him. People would point him out to me and always comment on the fact that he is the black sheep of the family. It would never be a comment that was made to be mean, just a fact. I laugh at that now because if I were to call him a black sheep he would not have that same roll of the eyes reaction he would have if I were to refer to him as a hero.

Once my son got into trouble, my mother-in-law suggested I contact this relative since he had gone through the same thing we were now experiencing. She called him and he told her to give me his phone number. The first time he came to our house to get my son, I will admit to having been extremely intimidated. This is a vary large man, well over 6 feet tall with a booming voice to match. He had an unlit cigar in the corner of his mouth, which I now know is as part of his wardrobe as are his shoes. He mentored my son and took him to AA meetings. He called and checked up on us and was viewed by us as a very good part of our family.  At the first meeting with our lawyer, it was suggested that we contact a person the attorney knew who "has turned AA into a religion." Who did he suggest you ask??   The very hero in which I am writing about.
I had also learned from friends that knew of him, that when he speaks at AA functions, people stand in line to hear him.

My hero came to my son's sentencing and sat right behind us. When the sentence was delivered, I heard a gasp from a woman behind us and I also heard my hero jump up and slam the court room door open. I did not look back to see this happen, I just remember that I knew it was him. And I remember being glad that someone had the reaction I wished I could have had, if I had not had the air knocked out of me and some sort of paralysis take over my entire body. I have heard my mother-in-law praise this relatives actions and am sure that she may be the reason he would no longer be referred to as the black sheep of the family.

(I do know for a fact that this label amused him).

I have heard from my hero a couple of times by phone, but had recently seen him while paying respect at an uncles funeral. My hero would never come forward in a crowd but instead, remains comfortable in the back. We made our way to him and what would be the first thing from his mouth?

"Come here and give me a hug"

followed by one of the biggest bear hugs I have ever gotten.

I call him a hero for the things he had done for my family. I call him an ordinary hero for the fact that he would honestly not understand why I would be grateful for anything he has ever done for us. 

Whether quietly standing in the back at a mortuary or slamming out of a court room,

I am in awe of this man.

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