The "We All Have Heroes In Our Life!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just trying to answer an online question that was given to me by a site known as STORYWORTH asking me "What famous people have I met in the past and how did I meet them?"  I in turn presented the question to my wife and the two of us tried to make a list of famous people that we have known during our lifetimes.  Some of the people we met during our 55 years of marriage while a few others I had met before we were married.  And... the following people were famous in our eyes while they might be people whom you never met or heard of during your lifetime.  So, with that in mind...check out our candidates for people who were famous and unforgettable in our eyes during our lifetime.  

Frank McConnell:  Mr. Frank McConnell assumed his duties as organist and choirmaster of St. James' Episcopal Church on February 1, 1944.  He previously was the assistant at St. Thomas' Church in New York  City.  He was in effect a leader and a musician of the highest type, a Fellow of the American Guild of Organists.  He continued the annual Lenten Organ Recitals that were begun by the previous choirmaster in 1911.  While singing in the boy's choir at St. James, he made me the lead choirboy even though I didn't have the best voice in the choir.  I also was his page turner for his organ recitals and was given the job of changing the boards on the church walls that held the hymn numbers each week.  He was an unbelievable organist and when my wife and I were married he did a remarkable job, according to those who can still remember that day.  To me he will always be a hero in my eyes!

Caleb Bucher:  Mr. Bucher was the Principal of Brecht Elementary School where I was a student during my elementary years.  He lived in a house a few blocks from my childhood home and knew my parents quite well.  He never married, so my mother would ask him for supper many times during each school year as well as the summer months.  He eventually earned his Dr. degree in education and taught at Millersville State Teacher's College.  I ended up teaching many years in the same school district where he was my elementary Principal as well as my hero.

Wilt Chamberlain:  "Wilt the Stilt" was a famous professional basketball player and was one of my sports heroes.  There weren't too many players in professional basketball at the time that  were his height.  I can still remember sitting in the Hershey Park Arena when he scored 100 points in a professional basketball game.  Wilt had 41 points by halftime and 69 at the end of the third quarter.  We were all yelling "Give it to Wilt."  With one minute left he got the ball and hit 100 with his "alley-oop" shot.  Fans went nuts and Wilt stood in the center ring until the game ended.  Something I will never forget.  

Johnny Unitas:  Most remember Johnny for his football skills, but for me, I remember him as a dad.  Our youngest son played ice hockey on a traveling team when he was in high school.  One game happened go be against a team from Baltimore, MD.  Carol and I were in the stands when she grabbed my arm and pointed to the front door of the rink.  There was Johnny coming in the front door.  He went to the other side of the rink and took a seat halfway up the bleachers.  Well, I just had to go make a visit.  I walked over, climbed the bleacher seats and asked if I could sit with him.  He pounded at the bench next to him and before long we were talking about our sons who were out on the ice.  Never brought up football and to this day I still believe that its the reason he enjoyed talking with me for as long as he did that day.

Peter Frampton:  Ever hear of this guy?  Fantastic musician who came to Lancaster often to practice at Clair Bros. Audio in nearby Lititz, Pennsylvania.  At the time I was the advisor of the high school yearbook where I taught.  The book was just about complete except for the cover.  Naturally...the theme for the book that year was music.  What could be a better cover for the book than a photo of Frampton and his band.  Found out he was going to practice on the high school stage since it was larger than the stage at Clair Bros.  I called and asked Roy Clair, a friend of mine from college, to ask Peter if he would mind if we took a photo during practice.  I called our professional photographer, Ken Long, who got there instantly, and took some great photos.  We got Peter to sign a piece of paper which we superimposed over the photo on the cover of the yearbook.  I was pretty sure there were no other yearbooks in the country like the one we had that year  

Bankie Banks:  Bankie is a musician who lives on the island of Anguilla in the Caribbean.  Carol and I have heard his songs for many years while traveling throughout the Caribbean.  We made a day trip to Anguilla while on vacation in Sint Maarten and thought we would visit Bankie's outdoor nightclub while we were there.  

Bankie with Carol and me.

Lunchtime when we got there and the place was just about empty except for one person...Bankie.  We had the best time talking with him that day.  He had recently hosted Jimmy Buffett and his band and we asked him question after question about his friend Jimmy.  He held up his hand and disappeared for a few minutes and returned with a Jimmy Buffett shirt for me.  We returned a few more times since that visit years ago and he always seems to remember us when we visit.  Great guy as well as a great musician.

Paul Elliott Thuleau:  And lastly...my final hero is an extremely talented artist by the name of Paul Thuleau who has an art gallery in the St. Martin village known as Grand Case.  Paul is not only a fantastic artist, but a very handsome guy.  That alone would make him a hero to many.  

Paul holding a print we purchased from him.

Paul lists himself as a landscape painter who paints the sea, tropical light and mostly facades of creole houses.  But, he does more than just paint the appearance of creole houses.  He paints the breeze passing through the open windows and the sweetness of the air.  He also paints the bewitching breath of the waters of the Orient.  To many, including myself, he is a hero who shares his artistic talent with all those who visit with him in Grand Case.

Think back in time to all the heroes that you might have had in your lifetime.  Why were they special to you?  What did you learn from them?  Will you always remember them as special?  I've never talked with anyone who didn't have at least one hero in their life, be it a friend or a relative.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.