Who Are Your Heroes?

Byron Spires

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The Southern Voice

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4 min read

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Jul 20, 2024

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My heroes are based on the experiences I have had over the years. My outlook on life stems from the way I grew up and the folks I have known over the years. Those are the factors that determine who I consider to be heroes.

I started working during the summers when I was eight years old in the tobacco fields, the remainder of the year, I cut grass or raked yards. The money I made went towards my school clothes and the occasional trip to the movie theater.

My first summer in tobacco, I made $12 a week. The day started at 6 a.m. when we were picked up by the labor bus and ended at 6 p.m. when the bus brought us back home. I made about a dollar per yard raking and two dollars mowing grass.

In those days, a Saturday matinee, which included a soda pop, popcorn, and a candy bar, cost thirty-five cents.

I started paying into social security when I got a job as a bag boy at the local IGA grocery store over 61 years ago.

My heroes back then and still today were not movie stars or even sports figures. It certainly wasn’t politicians or any famous people in general.

A man who stood out during those years when I was growing up was our next-door neighbor, Albert Johnson. He is a perfect example of who I consider to be a hero. He was a hard-working man who worked two jobs to provide for his family.

He worked and raised a family practically by himself because of an invalid wife. Albert raised hogs and a large garden to feed his family. I never heard him complain once about what life had put before him, including his many trips to the hospital for lingering World War Two injuries.

My Aunt Vera and Uncle Herman Sawyer were my heroes, too. Uncle Herman was in a terrible vehicle accident in 1971. He survived, only to be left at 50 years old, a quadriplegic. Uncle Herman never gave up, although he was confined to a wheelchair for the remainder of his life.

He always had a positive attitude, no matter the circumstances. I saw him often, especially after my mother moved to Central Florida to be near him and her two sisters. We had many telephone conversations before he passed away.

Aunt Vera never left his side. She took care of him night and day until he passed away 20 years after the accident. The doctors had told them he would not live beyond five years at best. She proved them wrong by the care she gave him. That is a real hero in my book. She was an extraordinary woman with a heart of gold, and even though life had thrown her a terrible curve, she persevered.

Another hero was my friend Hm Mugridge, a former neighbor on Lake Seminole who lived an exemplary life and became a local legend. He was an agriculture teacher for thirty-plus years, a school principal, and served as superintendent of schools for Grady County, Georgia. He beat cancer at 65 years of age, had knee surgery at 105, and lived to 107. He was a good man who was loved by everyone who knew him, especially his family. Most importantly, he was a good friend of mine for many years.

In my opinion he defined what a true hero represents. Someone who took life by the horns and lived it to the fullest.

Jack Wingate was another one of my heroes. He was a celebrity when it came to bass fishing or fishing in general. He was a steadfast friend to many, and, in my opinion, he was a man you could depend on, a good husband, a good father, a businessperson, and most importantly, a man who had a strong belief in God.

He once told me that a man was more than blessed if he could say he had six close friends over his lifetime. I believe him, and I can tell you he was a very blessed man, and I was blessed to count him as a friend. Jack never met a stranger, and only God knows how many folks over the years he helped.

My mother, Mary Frances Sawyer Spires, was my biggest hero. She overcame a lot in her life, but what I admire most about her was her commitment to raising two boys to adulthood. I guarantee you that neither my brother Eddie nor I would have made it this far if she had not been there for us in those early years. If a saint ever walked the earth, it was her, and I will be forever grateful for her influence.

We walk among real heroes today. They are the people who make every day count, and most importantly, they are our friends, relatives, and, on occasion, the person who goes the extra mile or does something extraordinary to help those around them.

In the comment section, I would love to hear who you consider your heroes.