I met Derwin and Tori at the end of my junior year at Taft. Derwin, or Coach D. as he is known, became a part of the Taft High coaching staff my senior year. When Coach D. became my coach, he became more than just that. Coach D. became a mentor, a role model, a father figure, and my guardian.

I was going through some rough times in my life during my junior year, the biggest problem being my living situation. I had moved five times during my junior year. This caused me to be very unstable, and that began to affect my grades. That is when my heroes came to my rescue. Coach D. and Tori realized my problem and they began to work their magic. They moved from L.A. to Woodland Hills so Coach D. and Tori could be closer to Taft. I moved in with them in August, 2003, and I am still currently living with them.

I feel they are my heroes because they welcomed me into their home with open arms, and they have done nothing but help me, and be there for me the whole time I have lived with them. They have even been there for me when things got rough.

The thing that makes them so great is that I am not the first kid who they have allowed into their home. I am not the only other kid currently living in their home who is not theirs. They try to help kids who have it harder than others. They give kids an opportunity to have a better life. They are great people and they want to see youngsters succeed in life, so they go out of their way to help us. The other kid who lives with us is in the tenth grade, and Coach D. has been raising him since he was in elementary school. Coach D. is also a police officer and works in the D.A.R.E. department, which is a program to help kids stay away from drugs. So, even during his 9-5 job, he is trying to help kids in anyway possible. He shows me on an everyday basis how men should take care of their responsibilities by going to work everyday to provide for their family. He then dedicates his extra time to coaching high school football. He has been setting a great example for me the whole time that I have been living in his home. To take inner city kids who live in tough neighborhoods or live a rough life, and invite them into your home to try and help them out without being paid for it or getting any reward, is a very heroic gesture for those kids. I am really happy D. and Tori have helped me out, and I really appreciate it.

Tori is a probation officer, so she, too, works with kids and knows how to deal with them. Tori helps me in many ways, in her own special way. Tori is like my big sister, and she treats me like her little brother. She cheers the loudest at all the football games, she is the first person to comfort me when I am feeling down, and she is one of the few people I know I can go to if I have a problem. She is a strong woman and has lots of patience, because not too many women would be comfortable letting teenage boys live in their home. She is always there when I need her. She gives me great advice about things. I can talk to her about anything. Sometimes a person just needs to know that they have someone they can trust and talk to, and she provides that for me.

Tori is now pregnant, and I am extremely excited. I am happy that they finally are having a baby of their own. They have been raising and taking care of other people’s kids for so long, it is time they get to raise their own child. I wish them the best of luck with their first biological child.

The reason why they are so heroic is because they are not obligated to do any of the things they do; they do it out of the kindness of their heart. It is people like Coach D. and Tori who are perfect examples of real heroes. They do things to help people because they really want to help, not to get fame or fortune. It is the people behind the scenes who should get the glory, not the celebrities who just want to get more publicity. They are my heroes, basically, because they make life easier for kids like myself. They have taken me under their wings and helped me through my senior year. They accepted me as if I was a member of their family and I thank them for that.