In 1904, Andrew Carnegie created a Deed of Trust that began,We live in a heroic age. Not seldom are we thrilled by deeds of heroism where men or women are injured or lose their lives in attempting to preserve or rescue their fellows; such the heroes of civilization. … 

I have long felt that the heroes and those dependent upon them should be freed from pecuniary cares resulting from their heroism, and, as a fund for this purpose, I have transferred to the Commission five million dollars of First Collateral Five Per Cent. Bonds of the United States Steel Corporation.

One hundred twenty years later — with a cumulative inflation of over 3,000 percent — Carnegie would have launched the fund with $173,267,977.43.

The first honoree was Louis A. Baumann, Jr. who was 17 when Charles Stevick called for help while drowning in an abandoned farm’s deep ravine. The record reads,

Baumann immediately dived into the pond, but when he reached Charles, Charles grabbed his leg. Baumann broke free and returned to the bank to regain his breath. He swam back out and dived for Charles, then took him to the surface, but Charles again grabbed Baumann, and both submerged. Again Baumann broke free and returned to the bank. A third time he swam out to Charles, that time managing to get Charles close enough to the bank for the other boys, who formed a chain, to drag both from the water.

All survived.

On August 9, 2007, Connecticut State Trooper Nicholas P. Leary rescued a woman from a burning building in Danielson, Massachusetts, without either the training or equipment. After crawling into the woman’s burning bedroom, she was rescued as flames breached the apartment’s walls. Leary donated the financial grant that accompanied the Carnegie Medal to The Jimmy Fund of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Brookline, Massachusetts.

‘Hero’ comes from ancient words meaning demi [half, unfinished, almost]-god and to watch over, to protect. This definition means we can all be heroes, often.

Imagine a world where everyone performed such a deed daily. Not much is required. A Random Act of Kindness as in the video below will do. What a life!

How will you become a hero each day?

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