My Hero: Richard Hantzmon

by Drew H.

My hero is Richard Hantzmon. He was born in Garfield Memorial Hospital in Washington, DC. My grandfather was very educated and he graduated second in his class, from  the University of Virginia. He continued on to the University of Virginia Law School and became a Certified Public Accountant. He ended up creating his own accounting firm in Charlottesville, VA, which is named Hantzmon Wiebel. This firm is still standing today. When my grandfather was a young boy he would go bike riding with a kid named Clark Wardrup. They were very good friends and lived on the same street in Pennsylvania. Throughout his childhood he would go down to Florida with his family to their beach house, which was about a seventeen hour drive. Throughout his childhood, he mostly focused on academics, but still maintained a good social life. Throughout his life he had always liked the subject of physics.

Richard Hantzmon is my hero because he has great courage. About five years ago, my grandfather had a stroke and he has been bedridden since. In spite of this terrible occurrence in his life, this man has the courage to go on. About the same time he had the stroke, he was saddened by the fact that some of his family had to move further away from where he lived. Also, his wife, my grandmother also passed away. Even though life has treated him roughly, my grandfather still goes to physical therapy every week and tries to get his strength back. Though it might be impossible, he dreams of walking again and retraining his brain to function to it’s full extent again. Although I worry that it will never happen, he has a goal of coming down and visiting my family in North Carolina. My grandfather is very courageous for fighting to get his life back.

My grandfather is a hero because he exhibits perseverance. He is extremely motivated to get things done. Before any of my uncles or my father were born, my grandfather built his own house that still stands today. My uncle lives in this house still today and might never move out of it. This house is also special to our family. In this home, my grandmother painted a saying on the wall that says, Welcome to Our Home. This is important to our family because of this was maybe the last thing my grandmother painted before she passed away. My grandfather tries to return to his home whenever he can. My grandfather was the man who designed and built this home. He built it on a street called Foxbrook near downtown Charlottesville, VA.

My grandfather is also my hero because he is loyal to his family and friends. Though my grandfather may be handicapped, he is still very social. He spends time with his friends most everyday in his retirement home. When Thanksgiving comes around, he goes to dinner with my uncle and the rest of my family in Charlottesville. Even though he may not be able to walk on his own, he sometimes jokes about walking down to Durham and seeing us. Throughout his life, he was devoted to my grandmother. Even when he went to Australia, or worked in Germany, he still loved his wife until the day that she passed away. At the funeral, on the long white pews, he remembered all of the days they spent together that had passed by too quickly. Nothing could hold him back from the tears of 50 years. My grandfather has a big family, three boys and six grandchildren and he is devoted to each and every one of them. He works at keeping  good relationships with all of them.

My grandfather has been inspirational to me because of the way he has lived his life and the advice he gives me whenever we are together.  He has always told me that you can never stop. Even if things get really bad, there is always a reason to get up in the morning and to keep going. My grandfather, though paralyzed on the right side, still goes to rehab once a week, to try and be able to walk and get out of his wheelchair. He has been an inspiration to me and my family for as long as he has been alive. I think the best advice he’s ever given me is to never stop believing in myself. For that and many other reasons, my grandfather will always be my hero.

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