Mara's Tribute Jun. 2014 | Page 10

Hero. What does this word mean to you? Most people say a hero is someone who fights super villains, or someone who has a cool layer. That’s not always the case, though. To me, a hero can be someone who has bravery, selflessness, and compassion. A hero is someone who would go into the lion’s den to protect people who will not or could not go for themselves. Someone who doesn’t care about their own safety, even when facing great danger; they want others to be safe. A hero is not someone who has cool superpowers, or who has cool gadgets, but someone who goes above and beyond for others or for themselves. A hero is Cody Patterson, and Cody Patterson is a hero. Cody wasn’t just a hero though. Cody was an amazing all around human being. He had people who loved him and cared about him. He had people that were friends, family, or both. He has people who miss him, and who wish for nothing more Than to have him back. Some of us, (not all of us) have accepted the fact that he’s not coming back. They tell themselves that he’s gone, and they believe it. Me? Well, I know he’s not coming back, but there’s no way I’ll be okay with it. I miss him every day to my hearts extent, and I want nothing more for my family than to have him back. My family misses him so much as well, and we still cry about him sometimes. My heart actually hurts sometimes to think about him, and that’s not always bad. Sometimes, instead of thinking about the fact that he’ll never be back, I think about the fact that we had him in the first place. It makes me happy to know that he was here with us, and that he impacted lives with kindness and love. Some might say that they wish that he never joined the army in the first place. I sometimes wish that too, but then I realize that Cody wouldn’t have been truly happy. He wanted to join the army, so that’s what he did. If he had stayed here in Oregon, he wouldn’t’ have been truly happy, and in a way, I’m happy Cody went. He knew what would make him happy, and he went out and did it. There is no word for me to describe how important and amazing Cody was, but I can say this: Cody was an Army Ranger.