Guest Post by Lindsey Cox

Hello All,

I just wanted to share with you the elegant words of my 15 year old great niece, Lindsey. Her family has been through a lot and yet she has wisdom beyond her years. I got her permission to share this with all of you! Enjoy!

Recently, I have been asked the question "Who is your hero?" and "What does it mean to be a hero?" Those questions really got me thinking about things. Why? I don't know. But it did. I've been thinking for a while now, what does it mean to be a hero? and who is my hero?

What Is A Hero?Everyone has their own definition of a hero. No matter who you talk to everyones version of a hero is a little different. I think thats because a hero can be so many different things. It doesn't have to mean you are superman or a warrior or anything like that. Your grandmother could be a hero. Your neighbor could be a hero. Even the person sitting next to you in science could be a hero.

To me, a hero is someone who fights for what they want. Someone who sticks to what they believe no matter what the cost. A person who is not afraid to stand up and say the screwed up. A person who can walk around all day dying on the inside and not hiding it. Someone who is always there when their friends need them, but isn't afraid to say they don't know how to help. Being a hero doesn't mean you always have the answers. To me, being a hero means that you care about others, and your not afraid of what others might think. You aren't afraid to be yourself. Your not afraid to admit you failed. and your not afraid to love.

Who Are My Heros? Jackson Trevor Summers fits that definition completely. He was my best friend in the entire world. He's the only person I know that wasn't afraid to show who he truly was, no matter what the cost might have been. He was a guy you could always turn to if you needed something. I have never met anyone so open hearted and kind as he was. He would randomly talk to people and soon enough would be their best friend. Even if you weren't that close to him, you could rely on him for anything. If you needed an ear to listen he was there. A shoulder to cry on, he was there. At the age of 16, he was diagnosed with a mental disorder after a severe accident. Every day of his life after the accident, more and more of his brain cells were killed off. He went months without telling anyone of his diagnosis. But even when he finally came clean, he fought every day. He fought every day of his life until he couldn't fight anymore. Jack died on January 22, 2009.

I will never forget this boy, or the lessons he taught me. Jack cared about everyone. Jack loved with all of his heart. I will never meet someone with so much love in them as he had. Jack was genuine. Jack was my best friend. Jack is my hero. I will never forget all the times we had together. I will never forget everything he did for me. I will never forget the friendship he and I had. It's not something you come across all the time. Its quite genuine. And I was lucky enough to have a best friend as amazing as him.

Another amazing hero in my life would be my mother, Tracy. She is another person in my life who has fought for things in her life. In the past couple years, my mom has had some very serious medical issues. Even though our family has gone through so much, she never gave up hope. She kept fighting and kept believing everything would be alright. I, of course, looked on the dark side of situations. I looked at the side that told me I was going to lose my mother. But she never did, and if she did, she never showed it. When I looked at her, I saw someone who was going to fight until she couldn't fight anymore. I hope to one day have the courage and strength that my mother shows me every single day of my life.

One more hero I would like to recognize is my best friend in the entire world, Brittany Brackett. She has been here with me through everything. I became friends with her when she first came to WL. We met in PE class and soon became best friends. She has been through so much with me and she inspires me to do so much. She has always been there to back me up, no matter what I do. She always tries to protect me. She's like the sister I will never have. I love her so much. She is a wonderful person. She's not afraid to be who she is and she's not afraid tro stand up for what she believes in. She helps me to reach my goals and she's always going to be my best friend. I love her to death.

If I have tagged you in this note, maybe its because your also one of my heros. Maybe you've been an inspiration to me. Or maybe you've just been there with me through it all. Either way, if youve been tagged, you are a big part of my life, and I look up to you.

And this would be the answer to the question "Who is Your Hero?"