Just as “The Incredibles” intro states, they walk among us like every day, ordinary people, but when the world is faced with dangerous situations, those superheroes emerge and come to our rescue.
The superheroes of our world, as opposed to the fantasy worlds of cartoons, comic books and movies, don’t have the typical superpowers like flying, scaling skyscrapers, X-ray vision, invisibility, and so on.
True superheroes have the ability to overcome fear and conquer all through bravery, courage, and the strength to stand up to the danger when others flee from it.
When thinking of superheroes of the past generations, World War, Korean and Vietnam veterans come to mind, recent veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars come to mind. Others who are superheroes are those firefighters and police officers who stormed into the World Trade Center towers while everyone else was running out, and the passengers of Flight 93 who brought down terrorists over Pennsylvania on Sept. 11, 2001.
This week, one of North Carolina’s superheroes stood out for his actions, which saved dozens of lives.
On Sunday morning, Carthage Officer Justin Garner, 25, took on a heavily armed man who decided to shoot up a nursing home while everyone else in town was in church.
Garner was the only officer on duty when the call was dispatched.
Despite being alone in his response, the five-year veteran of the department plunged ahead, entering the building and facing the shooter to stop him from injuring or killing any other innocent bystanders. At last report, eight people — seven residents and one nurse — were shot and killed by the 45-year-old shooter.
During his brave and courageous superhero-like act, Garner was shot himself, three times in his foot and leg, yet he still had the strength and piece of mind to shoot the attacker in the chest, bringing him down and keeping him from injuring any others.
In a report by the Associated Press, Garner’s police chief, Chris McKenzie, is quoted saying, “If that’s not heroism, I don’t know what is. ... You can train all you want to, but it comes down to whether you have what it takes.”
Garner is a superhero — not only to those lives he protected Sunday in the Pinelake Health and Rehab Center, but to us all. He is an example to be followed.
His actions should be those that all law enforcement officers would want to follow in a time of need in their community.
Every day in our own community superheroes emerge, maybe not to the extent that Garner did, but they do walk among us.
They are the firefighters, law enforcement officers, rescue personnel, paramedics, teachers, administrators, and normal people walking the streets who at a moment’s notice put their lives in harms way to keep us safe and protect us.
Superheroes do exist. They are our neighbors, our friends, our family. May they be honored and thanked by all.
Wendy Byerly Wood is the associate editor of The Mount Airy News. She can be reached at wbyerly-wood@mtairynews.com or 719-1923.
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