My Dad- Zack Schultz

“My whole life, I’ve always been a hard worker.”- My dad

            For my hero interview project, I chose to interview my dad. Ever since he was born, he has overcome many struggles. He has worked ever since he was 13. His mom worked at Kmart trying to support four children. My dad was the only one who took the initiative to start working. He worked at the baseball diamonds in Centerville, making $20 a week.  He was the third youngest in his family. Yet later in life, he became the first of his siblings to graduate high school. In my interview, he told me that one of his biggest role models was his first boss.

            He now works at Lakeview hospital in the supply chain. He brings supplies all over the hospital. If you need something for an operation, he’s the one who makes sure the doctor has it. Before this job, he worked at a glass plant. He made glass for many companies. But sadly, that job contributed to him getting Rheumatoid Arthritis. There were mornings that he could barely crawl out of bed. He has been lucky enough to find a great doctor, and he is now in much less pain.

            My hero fits most of the categories. He is an example to me and my brother, and he sacrifices so much to make sure his family has what they need to survive. He helps contribute to the society by making sure every doctor has what they need to operate on people. So people don’t know it, but he helps people he doesn’t know. One thing I can take from my interview, and take into consideration for my life, is never give up. No  matter how people around you are, you can still succeed, and be yourself.

Grandpa Bird- Bella Hatton

“The soldiers in the band were the first to enter the battlefield.”        

                                               -Grandpa Bird

My Hero is my Grandpa. “He has always been in service to other people,” my mom informs me. My Grandpa Bird was very intelligent, and known for his experiences, and extravagant personality. After high school he set out chasing his dreams. He served his mission in the city of love- Paris! Once returning to the United States he enlisted in the army with a dedication to fight for his country. He was then deployed to Vietnam to serve in the war. While he was there his leaders found out that he had a passion for the piano. Once they saw how good he was they insisted that he be in the army band. Being in the army band was a risky job. The band members were some of the first few people on the battlefield, they were used to announce the entering of the U.S. military going into battles. Although we lost the Vietnam war, my grandpa was still very proud of himself for serving in the war, and above all, serving for his country.

           

            Once he got home, he started doing the things he was really passionate about. He started up business like it was nothing, and made millions. With that money he donated a lot to charities and the homeless. One of the many things he was interested in was old fashioned cars! He always had pictures in his office of the cars he adored, and loved taking all his grandchildren to the car show. He also loved to travel the world, and learn new things about different places. One signature thing my grandpa was known for was his love of the piano. He was sincerely the best piano player I know. At one point in his life he owned a 35 foot piano! Also, he played in many concerts, and loved going to the symphonies.

            Another big reason my grandpa is my hero is because he was a fighter. When he was diagnosed with cancer he was given a few months to live. Time went on, and a couple years after the diagnoses he was still refused to go. Three separate times he was given just weeks to live but he kept fighting until he got sick enough to quit. Up until the very last second he was trying to please people, do the best for everybody, and make them get along.

           

My grandpa Bird fits the criteria of being a hero. He completed many heroic acts such as serving his mission, serving in the Vietnam War, and struggling through cancer. For many of these heroic acts he sacrificed something. When he went on his mission he left his life and family in the U.S. behind to go and be in service to other people. While serving in the Vietnam War, a big sacrifice was his life. It is very dangerous to go to war, but he was dedicated to fighting and contributing for his country. Because of these heroic acts, he can be looked at as an inspiration.

            I have learned many things from my Grandpa. While growing up, one of the biggest examples he set  was to always be thinking of other people. If somebody is in need of something in your family, sacrifice what you have to help them out. Always be willing to give up what you have for other people whether you know them well or not. Every action you make, be positive that it can improve the world, and that it’s for the best of everybody around you. Chase your dreams, and do what makes you happy. Lastly, never give up. Once you set your mind on something, keep fighting until you reach your goal. Many of his lessons and experiences i can apply to my own life, and inspire me to chase my dreams and do only what everybody will benefit from. With that, my grandpa IS my hero. 

Bob Schlama- Jake

“ I have always tried to keep people safe, and that is exactly what I have done.”

-Bob Schlama

Bob Schlma, the founder of a small construction company in Layton, Utah, always has safety as his first priority. By building several buildings all across Utah, he is able to make several families happy.

            Being the founder and current owner of his company, he has been able to experience building lots of buildings. However, when I was able to interview him, he said there is one in particular he enjoyed building and seeing every day. “I do love building schools, and in fact they are my favorite type of building to build. This one just means something special to me.” The large elementary school placed in South Weber, Utah is one of the only buildings he is able to drive by every day and his family members are affected by it. In fact, this school is the school his grandchildren are able to be enrolled in.

            Being the person he is, he is anything but harsh and rude. However, this does not mean he isn’t strict. This means that safety is always his first priority.  While interviewing, he said that he couldn’t remember a time of when someone he worked with got seriously injured.  Not only, does this mean that he is strict, but it also means that he is a reliable builder that won’t make your project be delayed.

            While being a hero to several families across Utah, he doesn’t fit all of the requirements of being a hero. Yes, he does supply families with house where they can eat and sleep. In addition, he aids them in getting a job by creating work offices for them. However, he does not contribute to society. He has never, gone out of his way to help people in another way besides building.  He also has never done any well-known heroic acts that would make him be like by others.

            Being able to interview him, I was able to learn lots of new things about my grandfather, Bob Schlma. For instance, I was able to learn about some of his experiences while building. These include, his favorite building, his favorite type of building, and what separates his company from other.

            Being able to learn that his career has been able to bring his grandchildren an education that they will use all of their life. I was also able to learn that he loves making schools. He was able to tell me that he has always tried to keep people safe, and that he is very strict with his colleagues. This really shocked me. My Grandpa is not usually strict at all. He is goofy, silly, and fun. 

Bob Schlama is a great hero, and I had a splendid time interviewing him.

Mishell Caligiuri- Sophi Caligiuri

“No, a hero is someone who helps someone they’ve never met.” -Mishell Caligiuri

        This was my Mom’s answer to the question “Do you think of yourself as a hero?” Even if she doesn’t, I know I do. A hero is a tricky topic to wrap your head around. There are many things that play into someone being called a hero, and usually people believe that you have to overcome an amazing feat while also fighting for the good of humanity. My mother is an exception to the criteria, but no less of a hero. She is an inspiration to me in many ways. She always demonstrates a positive attitude and is dedicated to making people laugh more than they breathe. She is always the first person to jump in and help me when I am in need and sacrifices tons just for her family to have a good day. Everyone has gone through trials that have made them stronger, and my mom is definitely no different. After her best friend Khristy was diagnosed with stage four esophageal and stomach cancer, she dedicated her time everyday to helping her and thinking of ways to cheer her up. Even though my mom doesn’t  necessarily contribute to society by doing community service or feeding the homeless, but she is dedicated to fighting for good and will stand up for causes she believe in.

 A BRIEF SUMMARY CELEBRATING MY MOTHER’S HEROISM:

So, by now you are probably wondering: “who is this lady and why is she a hero?” Allow me to tell you. Remember how I mentioned her best friend with cancer? Well her and my mom have been best friends for THIRTY YEARS. Can you imagine spending time with the same person over the course of THIRTY YEARS? Can you imagine someone you’ve known for thirty years being diagnosed with  stage four terminal stomach and esophageal cancer?

As soon as my mother got the phone call, she immediately jumped into action and began helping. Since it is hard for her friend to eat, she made a billion smoothies and soups from scratch that would be easy for her to swallow. She brought over a heaping pile of magazines so Khristy could find a snazzy new short haircut.  She helps clean her house and is always there to keep her company. She’s Khristy's chemo buddy and helps her in conditions unimaginable. She bought her a puzzle with hot air balloons because Khristy has always wanted to take a trip in one. She designed a tree to go on her wall where they put pictures and memories on the branches. She took Khristy to the hospital when the doctors sent her home for a while, because my mom knew she’d be better off in a place where there was intensive care. It turns out my mom was right, and Khristy did a lot better in the hospital than she ever would have at home.

“A DAY WITHOUT LAUGHTER IS A DAY WASTED.”

-Charlie Chaplin

A hero is someone that inspires you. My mother inspires me every day. She has taught me that one of the most important things in life is to have a positive attitude and a good sense of humor. She thinks life is so much better if you are able to laugh at yourself, and it’s just a bonus if you can make others laugh with you. I have never seen my mom complain about helping Khristy, I have only seen her think of more ways she could. My mom has always put the ones she loves before herself. When I asked her if she thought of herself as a hero, she replied “No, a hero is someone who helps someone they’ve never met.” When I asked her why, she just said that described that it’s really cool to be able to sacrifice stuff for people you don’t know. She has shown me that everyone is created equal and you should accept all people. Since the day I was born, she has told me to be nice to everyone because you never know what they are going through. I am grateful for my mom and for everything she has done to help me. I wouldn’t be half the person I am today without her.

Amy Cowley- Mason Cowley

“A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.”
Colin Powell

Amy Cowley has become a hero to me through all the hard work she puts in for herself and our family. As a young girl, she always wanted to be good at sports. Sadly, there wasn’t any girls’ soccer teams where she lived when she was in the early stages of her childhood. As a result of this, she had to play on boys teams to continue her love for sports. When her family came to Utah, there were girls’ teams and she picked up her new favorite sport, softball.

                Her dad was always pushing her to be the best that she could be. He also pushed her in school, saying that she needs to be able to support her family. She always planned on a college education, and was determined to play sports in college also. Some of her childhood coaches told her that she could play sports in college. She tirelessly worked to become dominant in her sports that included soccer, softball, and volleyball. Eventually, all the hard work paid off. She was going to be able to play softball for the University of Utah and study business there. Everything she worked for was all turning out well. She was not only succeeding in her athletics, but she was also doing well in school, and it looked like she was going to be able to obtain a good career full of success.

After four years of going to college, the work wasn’t over. She was done with softball, but she wasn’t done with business. She was married and wanted to find a job. Along with my dad, they planned to both get jobs and be able to support a family. Thus far, they both have jobs and everything has gone according to plan. She has shown me how hard work can and will pay off if you keep at it.

What I Learned/What She Showed Me

She has set an example to me through almost everything she does. She is always dedicated to fighting for the good of my family. She has gone through challenges, but has overcome them with all of her perseverance. She is always willing to help us and sacrifice time and hard work so we can be the best that we can be. She is an example to me, and I’m sure many others find her to be an example. I learned from all this to work hard till the end, and fight for the good of those around you in order to be successful and happy in life.

           

Why She is a Hero

                I have learned a lot of things and I am constantly learning things from my mom every day. She fits the criteria of a hero because she is an example to others and me, she is always willing to sacrifice for my family, and she is always fighting for us to be the best that we can be. The only way that she is an exception to our criteria is that she hasn’t gone through a big heroic act, but rather she does things on a daily basis to show me how I want to be or that benefit my family. Also, although she fights and struggles for the good of our family, she isn’t dedicated to contributing to society, even though she might help a little.