The Impact of the Superhero

Everyone has them favorite hero for their own reasons, but what impact do these characters have on countless fans? Superman, Batman and Spiderman; three of the most well known heroes in the world. These three heroes stand above all others through their ability to strike a cord with the reader or movie goer. I would like to share my connection with Bruce Wayne and the impact of The Batman in my life.

As every fan knows Bruce Wayne was the victim of senseless violence that led to him becoming The Batman. I lost my mother at the age of 22; much older then Bruce, but still able to understand his pain. My mother was diagnosed with cancer in March of 2011. At the time i was in college to become a paramedic and an amateur MMA fighter, my medical knowledge led me to become my mother's primary caretaker. My mother and I were close and she shared my love for writing, During her last week we had a conversation about life; it would be our last. My mother referenced a line from Batman Begins and told me the same thing Rachel told Bruce, " It's not who you are underneath, but what you do that defines you." The loss of my mother shattered my world the same way Bruce's world was shattered. I felt lost and angry, I felg like an orphan and for months leg mg anger control who i was. It was difficult to let go of so much anger, i lost a title shot at the middleweight championship, my fiance and i seperated and my weight shot up to 280 pounds which is the heaviest i have ever weighed.

Let's jump forward to the summer of 2012. I was slowly rebuilding my life, i decided to give up becoming a paramedic and decided to focus on something that would make me happy in my life as well as help others. I decided to become a fitness trainer and like Bruce in the cell began the grueling process of rebuilding me. My weight dropped down from 280 to 220; not what it used to be but it was a start. When The Dark Knight rises hit theatres i took my wife (got my fiance back) and our daughter to the drive in. And like so many i was fascinated by it. Not because it had a man dressed as a bat or all the fancy tech he used or Anne Hathaway's sexy ass in that suit but because when i saw Bruce Wayne i saw myself. Leaving the drive in the one thing i took away from it all was hope and like Bruce i felt hopeful for the first time in a long time.