Moms Are Heroes: Here’s Our Proof

By now, the whole “Not all heroes wear capes” thing is so cliché and overdone. We get it. You’re snarky.

But for real, let’s take a moment to recognize some honest-to-goodness heroes in our lives. Our moms, who carried us in their uteri (that’s not graphic—just biology), birthed us, and raised some damn good kids. Nobody’s perfect, but we want to lend some headlines to these amazing ladies, who are heroes in their own way.

Hero Mom Hosts Prom Pancake Party

Mom of MK McWeeney

For as long as I can remember, our house has always been the gathering place for holidays, family celebrations, and get-togethers. My mom is the ultimate hostess—always willing to cook, cater, and clean so that everyone can unwind, relax, and have a good time. She, most times, does not get to eat, unwind, or relax herself. She’s just selfless.

One memory in particular always sticks out when I try to describe my mom.

In high school, I didn’t go to many dances because I was either sick or we were out of town, traveling to a basketball tournament. My senior prom was the exception, so my mom treated it like my wedding. We went dress shopping. She took me to a salon to get my hair, nails, and makeup done. She found me the perfect pair of shoes and was my personal photographer. That’s table stakes. Most moms can do all that and not break a sweat.

Going above and beyond as she always does, my mom offered to do breakfast the next morning for a group of 32 (!!) hungry teenagers. And boy, did she do.it.up. Pancakes, waffles, bagels, bacon, sausage, eggs made-to-order, fruit, yogurt. The whole gamut. Everyone’s eyes lit up as soon as they walked in the door. I don’t think she slept a wink in two days, but there she was in her apron, 99.5 FM coming through the speakers, bustling about the kitchen from chopping block to stove to fridge, all with a huge smile on her face when she greeted us. I always knew she was my hero but seeing her become my friends’ hero really sealed the deal.

In Crucial Moment, Mom Steps Up to Become Hangover Hero

Mom of Shannon Vail

I will keep this brief and mostly void of the gross details. Imagine your worst hangover. Imagine that hangover on your last day home of Christmas break your freshman year of college. This is when my mom became my hero.

It was 8 A.M. on a Saturday morning, and I was borderline still drunk. But knowing I had to go back to college, my mom wanted to spend our last hours together before I made the trip. We took a quick trip to the post office, and my hangover was still unnoticed (I believe). AND THEN I threw up a few times out the car door while she was inside. I thought she didn’t see, but she did. She sees everything.

Every other time my mom caught me drinking it was a real-life nightmare. But this time was different. We went to my favorite diner, and she got me my favorites. She gave no lectures and only a reasonable amount of guilt-inducing glares while I choked down maybe four bites of hash browns and dry toast. Not my finest moment, but not my worst moment. But this was the morning my mom became my hangover.

PTO President Mom Turns Fun Fair into MEGA FUN FAIR

Mom of Jessie Rosen

My mom was the president of the PTO at my tiny elementary school in tiny Freehold, New Jersey. As the prez—already hero status in my little-girl mind—she was responsible for organizing the annual Fun Fair, our school’s spring carnival (or, she wasn’t “responsible for” but did it anyway, because that’s my mom).

I don’t know what this Fun Fair was like before Angie Rosen took over the show (if it existed at all), but after, it was Ringling Bros. level professional. She hand-made carnival games. She hand-drew carnival maps. She set the schedule and organized the volunteers and made a big speech to kick it off, and I feel like there were also t-shirts that changed every year that she designed? In that world—my world—she was Wonder Woman. And everyone who crossed her sidewalk chalked entrance to the FLC Fun Fair agreed.

Is She Real? Scientists Ask: Mom May Be Actual Superwoman

Mom of Scott Snowman

I often joke I’m adopted, because my mother is about twice my age, runs marathons, and climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro last year. Witness me, who gets out of breath when I run to the kitchen.

But secretly, I am glad we’re related because she is a verifiable superhero. This is a woman who was a single mother, raised two boys, worked between one and one-and-a-half full-time jobs, battled breast cancer, and went to night school to get her master’s degree in biochemistry. (Not all at the same time, but pretty damn close to it.)

Did I forget to mention that for nearly all of my life, she’s been a cornerstone of a prestigious research lab at a prestigious medical institution? She’s been part of research that literally helped identify how our brains process feelings and why we get addicted to drugs. Hats off to my mom, who shows no signs of stopping any time soon and reminds me not to let anything get in my way.

How is your mom a hero? Tweet us your story or comment on Facebook. Read back through our Mother’s Day content from Wednesday and Thursday, AND DON’T FORGET TO SEND YOUR MOTHER A CARD.