It is a funny thing how one's perceptions are oftentimes influenced as one moves through life's journey. People that may seem totally alien become friends, mentors, and/or heroes. Exposure to a diverse society makes for a smorgasbord of opportunity and enlivens one's journey. Any public high school experience forces a mixing of personalities and cultures. With the author's exposure it was obviously the same. One meets and befriends students, teachers, and coaches that all help shape what one becomes. The author looks on these people who have impacted his life as mentors or strong influencing factors as "heroes." This article is about Mike, one of the author's heroes that he met through athletics. This story is about "his" survival.