"Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal." - Albert Camus

"I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is over self." - Aristotle

When in search of heroes, we should be concerned more with accomplishments rather than inner struggles, for we cannot well compare the inner struggles of others. - Steve,

And we should keep in mind "Success covers a multitude of blunders." - George Bernard Shaw

So, me, eh?
Ancient? Probably Guttenburg.
Modern? FDR and Lincoln, I guess.
Alive? Difficult. Fresh dirt tends to obscure older successes. Maybe Roy Romanow (first Canadian premier (Sask.) in the 90s to bring in a balanced budget and prove that socialism can take the lead in fiscal responsibility and realism).

Mind you, the person who achieves the most good isn't necessarily the person one most admires or wishes to emulate. That's another story.