--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think a hero is an ordinary individual…" description: "\"“I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles. The fifteen-year-old boy w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dd/christopher-reeve-7715_car-accident_i-think-a-hero-is-an-ordinary-individual_64628.jpg" --- # I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the… ![“I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles. The fifteen-year-old boy who landed on his head while wrestling with his brother, leaving him paralyzed and barely able to swallow or speak. Travis Roy, paralyzed in the…” quote by Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dd/christopher-reeve-7715_car-accident_i-think-a-hero-is-an-ordinary-individual_64628.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dd/christopher-reeve-7715_car-accident_i-think-a-hero-is-an-ordinary-individual_64628.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1dd/christopher-reeve-7715_car-accident_i-think-a-hero-is-an-ordinary-individual_64628.jpg) > ““I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles. The fifteen-year-old boy who landed on his head while wrestling with his brother, leaving him paralyzed and barely able to swallow or speak. Travis Roy, paralyzed in the first eleven seconds of a hockey game in his freshman year at college. Harry Steifel, paralyzed from the chest down in a car accident at seventeen, completing his education and working on Wall Street at age thirty-two, but having missed so much of what life has to offer. These are the real heroes, and so are the many families and friends who have stood by them.”” [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Heroism is defined by ordinary people who confront severe adversity with perseverance, not by grandiose deeds. **In simple terms:** Ordinary people can be heroic through endurance. Key Takeaway Resilience under extreme hardship is heroic. Themes Resilience Adversity Ordinary heroism Perseverance Family support Mood Inspirational Respectful Hopeful Type Narrative Reflective When to use this quote - Facing life‑changing injury - Supporting a disabled loved one - Overcoming personal setbacks - Witnessing a loved one's struggle Key Concepts Strength Courage Empathy Practical Applications - Motivational speaking - Rehabilitation counseling Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean to be a hero in everyday life? - How can we support those facing severe challenges? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freshman year](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freshman-year/) [Hero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero/) [Heroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heroes/) [Quadriplegic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quadriplegic/) [Real heroes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-heroes/) [Wall St](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall-st/) [Wall street](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wall-street/) ## Related quotes > [America will never forget the service and sacrifice of our 9/11 heroes and their families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-mcbath/america-will-never-forget-the-service-and-sacrifice-of-our-9-11/) [Lucy McBath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-mcbath/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [When the first Superman movie came out, I gave dozens of interviews to promote it. The most frequent question was: What is a hero?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-gave-dozens-of-interviews-to/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [“Breaking my neck was the best thing that ever happened to me. I have an Olympic medal. I've been to so many countries I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zupan/breaking-my-neck-was-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me-i-have/) [Mark Zupan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zupan/) > [I've had a bad time, which we won't dwell on. We were married and we worked together for 52 years, and suddenly with her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hume-cronyn/i-ve-had-a-bad-time-which-we-won-t-dwell-on-we-were-married-and-we/) [Hume Cronyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hume-cronyn/) > [Neurologically, I'm a quadriplegic, so virtually everything about my work has been driven by my learning disabilities, which are quite severe, and my lack…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-close/neurologically-i-m-a-quadriplegic-so-virtually-everything-about-my/) [Chuck Close](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-close/) > [“Don’t you think it’s actually harder for you . . . to adapt, I mean? Because you’ve done all that stuff?’ ‘Are you asking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo-moyes/don-t-you-think-it-s-actually-harder-for-you-to-adapt-i-mean-because/) [Jojo Moyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo-moyes/) > [“Nothing You Encounter in Life is Too Difficult - It's There to Teach you a Lesson Fred Cheshire, "There's Nothing I Can't Do -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariam-cheshire/nothing-you-encounter-in-life-is-too-difficult-it-s-there-to-teach/) Mariam Cheshire > [In our story logic which we're making up, if we're saying he's alive, then like a quadriplegic who's in bed he can move his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-badham/in-our-story-logic-which-we-re-making-up-if-we-re-saying-he-s-alive/) [John Badham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-badham/) > [“Some disabled people spend a significant amount of their energy on trying to come across as abled or as not that disabled.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/some-disabled-people-spend-a-significant-amount-of-their-energy-on/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [I got pile drived in '96 or '97 and was a quadriplegic for about a minute and a half. I couldn't move anything. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stone-cold-steve-austin/i-got-pile-drived-in-96-or-97-and-was-a-quadriplegic-for-about-a/) [Stone Cold Steve Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stone-cold-steve-austin/) > [Losing my father at a tender age was extremely important in being able to accept what happened to me later when I became a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-close/losing-my-father-at-a-tender-age-was-extremely-important-in-being/) [Chuck Close](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-close/) > [“Nathan stared at the floor. “Honestly? He’s a C5-6 quadriplegic. That means nothing works below about here…” He placed a hand on the upper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo-moyes/nathan-stared-at-the-floor-honestly-he-s-a-c5-6-quadriplegic-that/) [Jojo Moyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo-moyes/) > [“I turned in my seat. Will’s face was in shadow and I couldn’t quite make it out. ‘Just hold on. Just for a minute.’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo-moyes/i-turned-in-my-seat-will-s-face-was-in-shadow-and-i-couldn-t-quite/) [Jojo Moyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo-moyes/) > [“You're going to feel uncomfortable in your new world for a bit. But I hope you feel a bit exhilarated too. Live boldly. Push…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo-moyes/you-re-going-to-feel-uncomfortable-in-your-new-world-for-a-bit-but-i/) [Jojo Moyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo-moyes/) ## More by Christopher Reeve > [The bigger the canvas, the better I do. I'm not so good at understated, kitchen-sink kinds of parts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/the-bigger-the-canvas-the-better-i-do-i-m-not-so-good-at-understated/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [I am optimistic. But I also know that, with time, I'm beginning to fight issues of aging as well as long-term paralysis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/i-am-optimistic-but-i-also-know-that-with-time-i-m-beginning-to-fight/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [I think we all have a little voice inside us that will guide us. It may be God, I don't know. But I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/i-think-we-all-have-a-little-voice-inside-us-that-will-guide-us-it/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [ I'm starting a new chapter in my \[\[life\], and you have no idea how much that means. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/i-m-starting-a-new-chapter-in-my-life-and-you-have-no-idea-how-much/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [We live in a time when the words impossible and unsolvable are no longer part of the scientific community's vocabulary. Each day we move…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/we-live-in-a-time-when-the-words-impossible-and-unsolvable-are-no/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [My father is an intellectual and physical man, which is a rather unusual combination. He's great. As he brought up me and my brothers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/my-father-is-an-intellectual-and-physical-man-which-is-a-rather/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [A hero is an ordinary person doing things in an extra ordinary way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/a-hero-is-an-ordinary-person-doing-things-in-an-extra-ordinary-way/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [Living a life with meaning means spreading the word. Even if you can't move, you can have a powerful effect with what you say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/living-a-life-with-meaning-means-spreading-the-word-even-if-you-can-t/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [When the first Superman movie came out, I gave dozens of interviews to promote it. The most frequent question was: What is a hero?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-gave-dozens-of-interviews-to/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [All the scientists who are working on solving the problem of curing paralysis say that it won't do you any good if you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/all-the-scientists-who-are-working-on-solving-the-problem-of-curing/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [It's defeatist to harp on what might have been, and yet, it's hard to resist considering what might have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/it-s-defeatist-to-harp-on-what-might-have-been-and-yet-it-s-hard-to/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [“I have to stop this cascade of memories, or at least take them out of their drawer only for a moment, have a brief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/i-have-to-stop-this-cascade-of-memories-or-at-least-take-them-out-of/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [What can I do today to take a step forward?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/what-can-i-do-today-to-take-a-step-forward/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) > [Either you vegetate and look out a window, or activate and try to effect change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/either-you-vegetate-and-look-out-a-window-or-activate-and-try-to/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Explore all 88 Christopher Reeve quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) ## More Car accident quotes > [Despite my mentors advice that I would never go to heaven fishing with a weighted nymph and a float, I took it up. (As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-bishop/despite-my-mentors-advice-that-i-would-never-go-to-heaven-fishing/) [Tony Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-bishop/) > [A tragic car accident put me in a wheelchair and dashed my hopes and dreams for the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-cawthorn/a-tragic-car-accident-put-me-in-a-wheelchair-and-dashed-my-hopes-and/) [Madison Cawthorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-cawthorn/) > [My mother's sister was killed in a trolley car accident, so I was raised as one of eight with my sister and six male…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-king/my-mother-s-sister-was-killed-in-a-trolley-car-accident-so-i-was/) [Alan King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-king/) > [Her: I make heads turn when I walk in a room. Me: People always stare at car accidents. -Just Saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ephrem-hardin/her-i-make-heads-turn-when-i-walk-in-a-room-me-people-always-stare-at/) [Ephrem Hardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ephrem-hardin/) > [My husband and I had recently been in a car accident, and I came out of that experience with more clarity about my career…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-liebman/my-husband-and-i-had-recently-been-in-a-car-accident-and-i-came-out/) [Wendy Liebman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-liebman/) > [If you recognize that self-driving cars are going to prevent car accidents, AI will be responsible for reducing one of the leading causes of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-zuckerberg/if-you-recognize-that-self-driving-cars-are-going-to-prevent-car/) [Mark Zuckerberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-zuckerberg/) > [I never really knew what they said when they told me to Forgive and Forget. They tell me it's easy. Maybe for them. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brie-cavalinni/i-never-really-knew-what-they-said-when-they-told-me-to-forgive-and/) Brie Cavalinni > [“This is really disturbing. I think I'm being scarred as we speak. It's like paranormal porn." Alexis did look a little pale. "Do you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-mccarthy/this-is-really-disturbing-i-think-i-m-being-scarred-as-we-speak-it-s/) [Erin McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-mccarthy/) > [Pain is strange. A cat killing a bird, a car accident, a fire… Pain arrives, BANG, and there it is, it sits on you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/pain-is-strange-a-cat-killing-a-bird-a-car-accident-a-fire-pain/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [“I was in a car accident in years ago, before they were careful with blood, and had to have a blood transfusion. 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You change public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sibel-hodge/so-if-people-don-t-want-a-war-are-opposed-to-a-war-how-do-you-get/) [Sibel Hodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sibel-hodge/) Browse all 215 Car accident quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles. The fifteen-year-old boy who landed on his head while wrestling with his brother, leaving him paralyzed and barely able to swallow or speak. Travis Roy, paralyzed in the first eleven seconds of a hockey game in his freshman year at college. Harry Steifel, paralyzed from the chest down in a car accident at seventeen, completing his education and working on Wall Street at age thirty-two, but having missed so much of what life has to offer. 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