I had gone to the movies and seen these 300 Spartans. I was sitting with my brother two rows ahead of my parents, because that was cool. I said to my brother “Steve, are they going to die?”
And he said “I don’t know.”
I went back to my parents and asked “Are the good guys going to die?”
[His late father replied.] “I’m afraid so, son.”
From then on, my entire concept of a hero was someone who does something because it’s right, and not because they were going to get a medal.