# Got a Paul Harvey story about an unsung hero? I'd like to hear it.



## lcjaynes (Jul 25, 2014)

I'm looking to write a series of stories on unsung heros ... somebody who maybe mentored you, gave you a leg up or a boost when you needed it. Someone who influenced you at the right time. Parent? Grandparent? Uncle? Neighbor? One of those quiet ones who doesn't ever get the recognition they deserve and would run from the limelight.

If you have a story you'd like to share, would you contact me ([email protected]) ? Or message me here. Or share with all of us.

We lost more than Paul Harvey when he passed ... we lost his stories, and I think that's an important thing to continue (not that I'm any Paul Harvey ...).

Thanks in advance.

Lynn


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## Thorim (Jan 19, 2015)

I can't say one person in particular had a huge impact in my life but there is a group of men and woman who had a huge impact on my life. they were the drill instructors I had in basic training and a.i.t. in A-10 Fort McClellan Alabama, circa nineteen eighty. Sgt P.T. Thompson, Sgt Morin, the airborne ranger, Sgt White, Sgt Randall, Sgt Kopeff from Wyoming, Sgt Hill, Sgt Short, Sgt Robinson the only female drill instructor we had, Senior Drill Sgt LaRussa. It has been more then thirty five years since I was in basic training and a.i.t. yet I had no problem remembering everyone of their names and their faces and the hell they put us through in course of turning us from boys into men. The stories I could tell. It seems like it was just yesterday, not thirty five years ago, being so tired at the end of the day and laying your head down to sleep, then getting up in what seemed just a blink of an eye but in reality eight hours had passed. Every bone, joint muscle fiber aching and throbbing in pain we thought would never end, it did as soon as got into shape.... Having everything you believed or thought you knew turned up side down and wiped away all in the name of becoming a soldier; running, running every where constantly running, hurry up and wait the army mantra.


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## RockmartGA (Jun 29, 2011)

I imagine you will get a lot of responses listing a family member as their greatest unsung hero - and rightfully so. Probably the next tier of responses will be about someone with the title of "teacher".

A few weeks ago, I read an obituary in our local paper about a former teacher of mine. Mr. Jimmy Williams was the Industrial Arts teacher at our high school way back when I attended. I was fortunate in that I grew up in a period of time where a student could take college prep AND shop classes. Mr. Williams was not only a great teacher, but a great person who encouraged his students to find their passion. I developed a love of woodworking in his class that continues to this day. As I look around my fully equipped shop, with it's saws, sanders, routers, shaper, planer, joiner and countless hand tools, it all has it's genesis in a high school shop back in the 1970's. I've often jokingly said I've used the three W's (welding, wiring, woodshop) a lot more than the three R's (reading, writing, arithmetic)

Mr. Williams did a lot of extra things for his classes. He would go out into the community and get projects for his classes to work on. For example, the city bought a flat bed dump and he got them to allow us to weld up sides for the truck so they could use it to pick up tree limbs.

Reading Mr. Williams obituary brought back a flood of memories. Some of my fondest memories of high school were made in those Industrial Arts classes. Hundreds (thousands?) of young men learned skills that often translated directly into a career or in my case, a passion.

It also made me sad to think that in the past forty years, I never told him "Thank You".

Somehow, I think he knew......

http://www.liteseyfh.com/fh/obituaries/obituary.cfm?o_id=3539337&fh_id=12186


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

I always felt the same way about my High School shop teacher and drafting teacher....both sticklers....one was a safety perfectionist and the other was a lettering/penmanship perfectionist. They both gave me skills that I have utilized my entire life.....how many teachers can you say that about?

Regards, Mike


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Mr Banks (woodworking) and Mr Simmons (metal working).....I have fond memories of both. I feel sorry for the kids that don't get the chance to take industrial arts classes........


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Speaking of teachers, the question has come up between me and my brother. "Who made an impact?". This brother was 7 years older. Same answer tho. Of ALL the teachers I had, one stands out. Thanks Mr. Vee.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

deadmoose said:


> Speaking of teachers, the question has come up between me and my brother. "Who made an impact?". This brother was 7 years older. Same answer tho. Of ALL the teachers I had, one stands out. Thanks Mr. Vee.


And Mr Vee taught what?


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Math.


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## lcjaynes (Jul 25, 2014)

deadmoose said:


> Speaking of teachers, the question has come up between me and my brother. "Who made an impact?". This brother was 7 years older. Same answer tho. Of ALL the teachers I had, one stands out. Thanks Mr. Vee.


What was it about him that made such an impression?


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

He cared.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

deadmoose said:


> He cared.


I would bet that all of the ones we consider our "best" had that same quality......

I had a typing teacher that you could just tell she really cared about her students....she would bust your tail if you didn't put in the same effort she did. As a student, you didn't want to let her down. I took it twice . Hey, don't hate the player, hate the game.....nothing but females in typing  took shorthand too....got to being good to me


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## BPatrick (Aug 30, 2013)

Lt. Col. Hugh Rhodes, Ft Rucker Alabama. 1984.. "Ok son, I'll get you set up here in the middle of this 40 ac field, try not to hit the pine trees." He taught me how to survive while flying helicopters in the U.S. Army. That was my first day in primary helicopter training three decades past. I can still see the grin on his face. Boy did that man earn his bottle of scotch at the end of that course!


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