Cheyanne Richards with sister Emily Richards

(Ed. Note: What follows is an example of one of the essays read at last Thursday’s ‘Hometown Heroes’ assembly at the Tunkhannock Area Middle School.)

Hero. A simple word, one which we can label many people, from Superman to our parents. We all have some kind of hero. Through highs and lows, thick and thin they are there, right next to you. That is why my little hero is my little, 9 year-old sister, Emily.

There are many reasons why Emily is my hero. Last school year, our Grandmother was diagnosed with Stage 1 Breast Cancer. By September, it had progressed to Stage 3. We had to fight alongside our Grandmother and though Emily couldn’t fly in to save the day, she pulled through, and I did the same. For many months, I did not see the wounds left on my little warrior, but when I saw them, I tried to mend them. When this battle was taking place we had a system going: I took care of the dog, Emily took care of the meals, and together we took care of each other and our Grandmother.

Our grades dropped, but we pulled through and have grown a love that words can’t express. Now we get each other going and fight, but we make up after a few hours. The two of us know that no matter what others say or do, nothing will ever break our bond, and as a family we go through things together. Superman, fly on and save the world if you want, but you will never replace my little sister.

When I am around Emily, I cannot say that I messed up often, for her response is “ha, ha” in a joking tone. The only time that she hasn’t said this is when her chicken, Taylor, died. Sad as it was, now whenever we see a possum dead on the road we say, “I hope it choked on Taylor’s bones.” While she was grieving, our little brother was no help at all, in fact I think he made the wounds a little deeper. But we all have bad days; sometimes they are long or short. Once she was back to herself, she was up and flying again.

Emily is my little hero. From animals to people, she will give help where she can. Emily will go from funny to a little monster and back again in no time. Superman could save my life a hundred times over, and my little nine year old sister would still be my hero, because she made a survivor out of me.

-Cheyanne Richards