Unlikely Heroes

As I was scrolling down the list of the photos, this one caught my eye. The description explained that a man named Carlos Arredondo helped a man named Jeff Bauman after the Boston bombings and that they are now best friends. I wondered what would have motivated this man to help someone he hadn't even met. As I researched, I found out that Carlos had lived a difficult life. One of his sons died in the army and his other son committed suicide. After his first son's death, he was involved in anti-war efforts and attended the Boston marathon to hand out little American flags. He knew no one in the race. I believe that pure fate brought him to the marathon.
He said he saw a cloud of smoke, made the sign of the cross, and asked God to keep him safe. In that cloud, he found Jeff Bauman, whose legs had been blown off in the explosion. He found an old sweater to stop the blood, put Bauman in a wheelchair, and sent him to the medical tent. I began to think, what makes someone a hero? This man was far from being a soldier. He was an ex rodeo clown and wore a cowboy hat every day.
I think one thing that makes this generation different is how we have a reputation for being selfish. When someone needs help, we would rather just save ourselves than someone else. I believe that this perception is extremely untrue. Heroes are becoming more than soldiers or strong men from movies. Heroes of this millennium can be anyone, and Carlos Arredondo is proof of this.