A hero

A Hero

Manuel Elkin Patarroyo, a Colombian scientist, is seen as a hero in many communities around the world. His extraordinary efforts for finding a cure for a tropical disease that kill millions of people every year (Malaria,) makes him a great person and scientist that cares for the humanity. According to www.thirdworldtraveler.com, “the synthesis of that vaccine has protectedmillions of people from malaria, and it has saved 1 million lives out of an annual death toll of 3 million.” Patarroyo worked more that 30 years in a Malaria project, showing dedication, determination, and courage against difficult situations; but always convinced that human life must be respected. His laborious work was possible due the three most notable virtues that make him be a hero; those arecourage, deeply respect for human life, and determination. Manuel Elkin Patarroyo is a determined scientist who has showed courage risking his own life and putting his mentally efforts in a cure for Malaria. He has dedicated his entire life to serve communities, and also has devoted his work as a scientist for a human cause; showing respect for others and conviction for his beliefs; qualities thatdefine him as a hero.

Patarroyo is a man of strong courage, physically and mentally, since he took risks for a community in need. In “Eve’s Daughters” Miriam Polster says about courage“…that heroism requires courage, both physical and mental; personal cost takes a backseat to get the job done.” (Eve’s Daughters 2001. Gestalt Journal Press.) Patarroyo’s courage is seen when, in his eagernessfor finding a cure for the tropical disease Malaria, Patarroyo risked his own life. First, he moved to Amazonas, a Colombian state with high rates of Malaria, putting in risk his life and his family’s too; with a clear goal in his mind: find out a cure for Malaria. Then, he risked his life and health again when doing the Malaria researches; he had to be in direct contact with people that developedthe symptoms and others that already had the disease. Third, in his arduous daily work, the researches took him to analyze unique and rare specie of Monkey (Owl Monkeys) that only live in the Amazon forest; they had the Malaria gene but did not develop the disease. In order to find the monkeys, he had to make long walks thru the rain forest; he also had to pass many nights awake looking for themonkeys without matter the risks that mission had, such as being bitten by a monkey, or the presence and attack of a wild animal, such as snakes and jaguars. Patarroyo’s research also took many years of mentally effort, leaving him out of sharing any free time with his family; however, he kept strong enough to commit his objective. He showed courage dedicating many of his life analyzing how tosynthesize a vaccine without matter the hazard conditions he had to live. Patarroyo is a courageous scientist that has devoted his entire life to a human cause, showing that all the years he invested to his researches along with his mentally and physically efforts worth, when he found the vaccine that now keep people with moderate rates of Malaria disease.
Manuel Elkin Patarroyo is a firmlybeliever that human life must be preserved and respected. Polster says about this trait that “The hero profoundly believes in the value and dignity of human life.” (Eve’s Daughters 2001. Gestalt Journal Press.) Linking it with Patarroyo’s life, in an interview he gave to El Espectador in www. Elespectador.com he tells us that people must be protected from tropical diseases that attack theunprotected communities in developing countries. His profound respect for human life was acquired since he was little due his parents taught him to serve the Colombian community in need. His spirit fulfills of community service inspired him to be a scientist that acquired a compromise with people that live in tropical regions and poor health conditions. Then, Patarroyo showed his profound respect and...