My hero is Marshall Dixon, a professor. He taught me how to think. He changed my whole idea of learning to something that is to be treasured. He helped block for me at the university so that I could study deeply.
My heroes are all teachers. They are doing the most important thing in the world - helping to create the next generation and doing it without enough pay, power, or prestige. Also, they are trying to do it in an environment hostile to learning.