There are heroes all around us. I know. They come into my studio every day.

Today It was the the 93 year old WWII veteran who spent the war transporting troops to the beaches. He just wanted a couple of DVDs copied. They contained TV broadcasts of interviews he gave talking about his experiences in the war that he wanted his family members to have. They were riveting.

Today I also met a retired NYC emergency medical technician who came in needing some photos reproduced of him and his crew back in his younger days serving his community.

And then there was the son who brought in some slides today. They depicted his mom as a young woman – full of life and hope and love. The woman who gave him life and helped show him what could be done with it.

The point is… we all have heroes. I have mine. And I’m finding more with every day that I work in my studio. They are all around us. Here are some of the attributes I find that they share:

They give without expecting to get anything in return.

They don’t consider their sacrifice to be a sacrifice even though we know it was.

They make the world a better place just by being in it.

They’re humble – often embarrassed when the spotlight shines upon them. We should continue to shine it anyway because their stories, when they come to light, encourage and inspire the rest of us.

They act simply because it is the right thing to do. Not because of who might benefit from their action.

Heroes don’t set out to be heroic. It just happens that when they act – selflessly, magnanimously, compassionately… out of the goodness or purity of their heart… they are elevated in our esteem to a higher plane.

Celebrate the heroes in your life. Let them know how much you appreciate what they have done and the impact their life has had upon yours. It is a conversation you will always remember.

Michael Ondrasik and Home Video Studio specialize in the preservation of family memories through the digitalization of film, videotapes, audio recordings, photos, negatives and slides. For more information, call 352-735-8550 or visit our website.