What makes a hero? A hero is someone that we look up to. Heroes embody what we truly value most. Therefore who we select as role models says a lot about who we are as people.
The heroes that I most admire have the following characteristics.
To me, Vincent Van Gogh has all of these quailites. He created masterpieces that are still shown in galleries, and is rightfully considered a master of art. Even though he is well known for his art, his life was full of strife and heartbreak. He struggled with his demons, haunted by circumstance and psychiatric illness. Even in his struggles, he created beautiful works that speak to my soul and show the honest - and preservering - beauty of his tormented spirit. One of his most famous works is even done in his room at the psychiatric ward.He was still able to see beauty in his own darkness.
He found an escape in his art and he gave everything he could to it. While he died by his own hand, that is only one part of his story. He is more than that. He is inspiring future generations of artists, who are fighting their own battles. Vincent Van Gogh is a hero, although unconventional, to me.