I'd have to say Rick Fielding, although it might have embarrassed him. We had a conversation once in which he told me you never want to actually meet your heroes, because you'll be let down. I didn't agree with that. He'd already attained hero status in my mind, and I knew he wasn't perfect. Heroes, for me, are people I know. I didn't worship him - I don't worship anywone - he was my friend. I respected him.

Heroes are heroes, I believe, because of their imperfections, not in spite of them. It's how they play the hand they're dealt. He never fit in the world the way it was very well, so he created his own little corner. He might have kept trying to fit in and wound living in an alley and scarfing dumpster dumplings. Who knows what happens to people who don't fit in when they don't realise they have choices? He found something he loved and put his heart and soul into it, His love for music was like his love for Heather - it just spilled over and splashed onto everyone near him.

There have been, and are, many of Great people, who may have done Great deeds and changed the whole world for the better. None have changed my world as much as Rick. Of course, I'm talking about my personal hero here, and hopefully, everyone's got one or more of those. On the grand scale, I don't know. I tend to view most classic heroic deeds (the 'throwing one's self on a grenade' sort of thing) as simple reactions or glory-seeking.