Kolbe Francis Roy Graham

Some of the most heroic people are those who aren’t tremendously famous. In 1941, after three prisoners had escaped a work camp, the SS selected ten men to die of starvation in an underground bunker in order to discourage escape attempts. Among the selected was a man who sobbed “My poor wife! My poor children! What will they do?” This man’s sorrow was the reason why St. Maximilian Kolbe volunteered his life in replacement, which resulted in his execution.

Kolbe’s influence on me cannot be put into words. Regardless, here is how I would best describe it. In the spur of the moment, Kolbe proved to be selfless. He seized the opportunity to assist a stranger almost immediately and stuck by his decision. Helping others has always been my main goal. In saying this, it would appear as if Kolbe has had no influence on me because I valued kindness before I was aware of his selflessness. Kolbe’s influence on me has been the reason I have not given up on my goal towards being the epitome of the word “nice.” Now a senior, I’ve become the person who people can count on if they ever have a problem. I don’t like to expect anything in return because I hope my personality rubs off on those around me. Away from school, I act the same way,...