Saved By A Hero
Newcastle Herald
Saturday April 26, 2003
A YOUNG boy believes his father is a hero. Human rights activists believe Nelson Mandela is a hero.
And cricket fans believe the Australian cricket team is full of heroes.
Then there are ordinary, everyday people who are considered heroes for sacrificing their safety, and sometimes their lives, for the sake of others.
Three men have been recommended for bravery awards after kicking in the door of a burning Cessnock house on Monday evening and pulling a 67-year-old woman to safety.
One of the trio was former firefighter Garry Waugh, who was called a hero after the incident.
But Mr Waugh doesn't agree with his new tag.
He said he simply did what any decent person would do and that his actions were just second nature.
``I had confidence in myself that I could get her [the woman] out," he said.
A 16-year-old year 11 student, Joel Pettit, of Tomaree High School, was hailed as a hero after he wrestled a classmate, allegedly armed with a petrol bomb, to the ground after the student allegedly fired an arrow from a crossbow at a fellow student.
Early this month, three bystanders tried to pull a man from his car which had careered into Tilligerry Creek.
The man did not survive, but the bystanders dived into the water in an attempt to rescue him.
Security officer Shane Kallinis was last month hailed a hero for saving the life of a woman during an attempted armed robbery at Teralba.
He was savagely beaten in the process, having every bone in his face broken.
The woman, Kathlene Briffa, told Mr Kallinis's family that his ``courage and cool head had saved her life" and described him as a ``real hero".
Three years ago this week, John Hallam was also hailed a hero for hauling his frail mother from their burning Kurri Kurri home moments before it exploded into flames.
In January, an 81-year-old woman died after she tried to rescue a friend when a fire broke out in a Sydney aged-care hostel.
The woman, who was described as having a caring nature and who always tried to help others, had collapsed after going to a unit near her own to help her friend, who was less mobile than herself.
And a 34-year-old man died in December last year after jumping into the Murrumbidgee River to help rescue a boy.
The list goes on.
These were all acts of self-sacrifice and all took courage.
And according to University of Newcastle philosophy lecturer Dr Joe Mintoff, and clinical psychologist Professor Trevor Waring, who is also the director of the Hunter Institute of Mental Health, it is those two characteristics which make a hero.
``It really comes down to the nature of human beings," Professor Waring said.
``We are herding animals, tribal by nature.
``We tend to be group-orientated to get that sense of feeling and belonging.
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Putting your life on the line
From page 19
``Most of our behaviour goes to wanting to be part of that group."
Humans then do all sorts of things to ensure they remain part of that group and some see the survival of that group as being more important than their individuality.
``They are prepared to step back and let the group go ahead," he said.
``It's an act of selflessness.
``That means the group survives, even at the cost of our loss."
That self-sacrifice says something about that person's sense of purpose, value and self-worth, and that act is also one of heroism.
The spectrum of self-sacrifice runs right from simple acts of courtesy (a minor form of self-sacrifice) through to sacrificing your life for the good of others.
Dr Mintoff agreed that a hero was someone who was prepared to perform acts of great self-sacrifice for the benefit of others, whether in a military or civilian capacity.
A hero is also courageous.
``An important part of heroism is that it has to involve some distinctive type of courage," Dr Mintoff said.
Many would concur the media can stand accused of being all too loose with the term and both experts agreed the term was overused, most notably, in the sporting arena.
A quick search through past metropolitan newspaper articles using the word hero as a keyword found many sporting stories.
While Australian sporting greats had great talent and skill and were admirable people, they were not heroes, Dr Mintoff said.
Not like someone who ran into burning houses to save another person's life, or a soldier in the midst of battle.
Professor Waring said sporting greats should be referred to as role models, not heroes.
Sporting greats didn't perform acts of immense self-sacrifice for the good of others, he said.
``That's why sporting hero probably doesn't do it for me," he said.
``I'd rather sporting role model."
Professor Waring also said the term hero was overused.
``When we use it in the appropriate context, we're referring to those who pay the ultimate sacrifice for something," he said.
People like the late eye surgeon Professor Fred Hollows.
Overusing the term also lessened its integrity.
``It has been extended to anyone who is admirable in some way," Dr Mintoff said.
Traditionally, the term hero had been used only for someone who was courageous.
``The use of the term has become more broad," he said.
This ``linguistic expansion" becomes a problem if it distorts is original intention.
Dr Mintoff said someone who received a medal of distinction was not necessarily also a hero.
``The question is how courageous were they in their altruistic endeavour," he said.
And then there are those who do courageous acts and acts of self-sacrifice for a living, including rescue workers, firefighters, police officers or soldiers.
Given that they are trained and paid, do they also deserve to be labelled as heroes?
Both say yes.
``I wouldn't exclude soldiers from being heroic just because they get paid for it," Dr Mintoff said.
``I also wouldn't exclude firefighters, lifesavers and rescue workers.
``These people are paid to do these sorts of things.
``But one aspect of heroism is that you do more than what the average person would be expected to do."
Dr Mintoff highlighted the incident two weeks ago in Tarro when off-duty police officer Senior Constable Leah Rudder, fellow officers Jules Moyland and Greg Payne, and Tarro Fire Brigade captain Eric Larkins braved intense heat and thick smoke to drag a 42-year-old man from his burning house as the roof was collapsing.
All three are to be nominated for bravery awards.
``That struck me as being heroic," Dr Mintoff said.
Professor Waring agreed.
``They are doing jobs that others aren't prepared to do and the risk is always there," he said.
``Also those who go to war don't set out to sacrifice themselves, but the risk is very high and they are prepared to take that risk."
© 2003 Newcastle Herald