The Superhero He Always Wanted to Be

Last week, something amazing happened in our family. And I honestly mean the word amazing. I’m not overusing it. My oldest son, Grant, was sworn in as a firefighter in our hometown. To say I’m proud would be putting it very lightly. There’s something about watching your child step into a role where they will serve, protect and help others that hits a little differently. But for Grant, there’s an even deeper meaning to it.

He has been obsessed with superheroes since he was a toddler. I used to buy superhero costumes on sale after Halloween, and he would wear them year-round. To the grocery store. To the park. Around the house. Wherever we were going, there was a good chance Grant was wearing a superhero costume. And every birthday, he genuinely believed this might finally be the year he received his superpower. As he got older, his love for superheroes never really went away. In fact, he now has a few Hollywood-level superhero costumes, with Captain America being his favorite. And yes, he has actually delivered Meals on Wheels dressed as Captain America. He calls it his “uniform.” Not a costume.

So when Grant was hired by the fire department, one of our friends who knows our family very well said something that absolutely stopped me in my tracks:

“Now Grant is actually becoming a superhero!”

And I cried. Because he was right. He may not have superpowers. He may not be able to fly or stop a speeding train with his bare hands. But he is going to show up when people need him. He is going to run toward the things most of us would run away from. He is going to serve, protect and help people on some of the hardest days of their lives. Isn’t that what a real superhero does?

During the swearing-in ceremony, they talked about each of the new hires. When they talked about Grant, they also talked about our entire family and the way we give back to our community. I’ll admit, that caught me off guard. But it also made my heart swell. Because it’s true. Giving back has always been something we have tried to instill in all three of our children. Our family absolutely loves this community. We have dedicated so much of our lives to making it better – to helping it become what we know it can be. And now, Grant gets to carry that on in a very special way. He gets to serve the community he grew up in and the place our family calls home.

He has always been my personal superhero. But now, he gets to be one for an entire community. And this mama couldn’t be more proud.