Brad Meltzer - Heroes for My Daughter

To: ______________________________ A gift from: ________________________ HEROES FOR MY Daughter BRAD MELTZER

For Lila, MY DAUGHTER , MY HERO A LSO BY B RAD M ELTZER Nonfiction Heroes for My Son Fiction The Inner Circle The Book of Lies The Book of Fate The Zero Game The Millionaires The First Counsel Dead Even The Tenth Justice I have many heroes. But my favorite ones are always my little onesmy childrenJonas, Lila, and Theo, who are the three reasons this book exists. They inspire me, humble me, and forever remind me what true love is. My other hero is the woman who gave them to me: my wife, Cori, who is absolute proof that mothers are the greatest heroes. On that note, this book only exists because of the work of my own mother, Teri Meltzer. When I was younger, she used to tell me that shed saw off her own arm for me.

Yes, she had a gift for overstating things, but she meant it. My mom gave me everything she had and is the foundation of all Ive become. It is in her memory that this book lives. Special love to my father, Stewie Meltzer, and my grandparents, Ben and Dotty Rubin, in whose memory this book was also completed. Also, a thank-you to my sister Bari for being a great aunt and for being there for me, and to Noah Kuttler for always, always pushing me so hard, especially with this one. As I started writing this book, it became one of the most personal things Ive ever worked on.

And that is thanks to Jill Kneerim, who made sure that every page was all about my daughter Lila and my love for her. Special thanks also to Hope Denekamp, Caroline Zimmerman, and everyone at the Kneerim & Williams Agency; my treasured friend Larry Kirshbaum, the true godfather of this project; Simon Sinek, who told me my first inspiring story; Joel Marlin, who added the first pieces of research; Marie Grunbeck, for being me; Katherine Blood and Jonathan Eaker from the Library of Congress; Jason Sherry, who made it all move; Chris Weiss, who inspired so much of this; my friend Goody Marshall, whos been there from book one; Bill Morrison, Jeff Zaslow, and the nice people of The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, as well as the National Portrait Gallery; Bob Miller, who put down the first brick of this house; rob Weisbach, who had faith before anyone; and all the real heroes who shared pictures and family stories. A personal thank-you must also be said to my alter ego, Brad Desnoyer, who understands me like no one else. This house was built on his research. And while I love his help, what means far more is his friendship. Also thanks to the amazing Nick Marell.

Without his hard work and photo-finding, thered be nothing to look at. Finally, a thank-you to the wonderful Kathryn Whitenight, Tina Andreadis, Kathy Schneider, Katie OCallaghan, Cindy Achar, Lydia Weaver, Doug Jones, Katie Salisbury, and everyone at HarperCollins, for giving this book such a beautiful home. And to Jonathan Burnham, whose graciousness and help will always be appreciated. Thank you, Jonathan, for this gift for my daughterand for your faith.

D ear Lila, my sweet daughter, I love you. And yes, I know every parent loves their child.

But not like I love you. Someday, youll roll your eyes and groan, Dad, youre embarrassing me. But right now, youre only six years old, so these days, you still smile your big beaming smile when I say things like that. And I point that out simply so that, when these days are gone, Ill have proof they existed. On the day you were born, I remember your mom waking up at four oclock in the morning, rolling over in bed, and telling me, I think the babys coming. Go back to bed, I pleaded.

Its too early. God bless your mother, she actually tried to go back to bed. But youmy little unborn daughterhad your own ideas. Believe me when I say that wouldnt be the last time. At the hospital, the instant I saw you, my heart doubled in size. My own mother, your grandmother, told me at the time, Now youll understand how I love you.

After giving us a few moments with you, the nurses did their usual weighing and measuring, and then said they wanted to whisk you off for your first bath. Im coming with you, I told them, determined to protect you. They smiled that smile they save for new parents and reassured me, Shell be fine. We have her. But as I looked down at my beautiful, teeny, amazing daughter Cmon No way was I ever letting you out of my sight. I had to protect you! Thankfully, the nurses put up with me, and let me pretend I was some old parental veteran as I helped give you your first bath.

Later, as I sat there, rocking in the rocking chair they gave me and holding you close, I still remember all the dreams I was dreaming for you. I didnt want just one thing for you. I wanted everything. If you needed strength, I wanted you to be strong. If you saw someone hurting, I wanted you to find the compassion to help. If there was a problem, big or small, that no one could solve, I wanted you to have every available skillingenuity, empathy, creativity, perseveranceso you could attack that problem in a way that no one else on this entire planet had ever fathomed.

And that would be your greatest gift, Lila: That no oneand I mean no onewould ever be exactly you. I still believe that. I do. Im a mushy dad. And it was in those first moments of blind idealism and unbridled navet that I resolved to write a book for you. That very nightsix years ago, on the night you were bornI went home and started this book.

My goal was to write it over the course of your life. Id fill it with all the advice you needed to be a good person. I began the list that night: 1. Love God. 2. Help the kids who need it.

My plan was to add more ideas as you grew older, and eventually, on the day when I presented this book to you, youd realize I was indeed the greatest father of all time (I had a parade planned for myself as well). Thankfully, during your first few years, I realized my clichd, self-important plan was just that. It hit me after hearing the stories of heroes like Sally Ride. Sure, I knew she was the first American woman to travel into space. But at a time when there were no women astronauts, do you know why NASA chose her? Some say it was because she was a genius at physics or that it was her physical resolve and athletic ability or that she was simply fearless. And sure, it was probably all those things.

But it was also because when she saw an ad in her colleges newspaper looking for female astronauts, Sally Ride saw an opportunity. And grabbed it. In that moment, she dared to attempt what no woman had done before. I love that story. I wanted you to hear that story. I wanted your brothers to hear that story.

I wanted everyone in this world to know that if you take a chance and work hard you can do anything in this world. Soon after, my new plan was born. I wouldnt give you a book of rules. Id give you a book of heroes. And in that, Id give you absolute proof that anything is possible. Again. Again.

I wont begrudge you, Lila. I did the same thing. But let me be clear: My dreams for you today are different from the ones on the day you were born. Sure, I still want everything for you. I always will. But amongst those dreams, theres one I keep coming back to.

Its the dream that links every single hero in these pages. Youll see inside when you read it, my daughter. Every hero in here is a fighter. And Lila, no matter what stage of life youre in, when you want somethingno matter how impossible it seemsyou need to

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