When asked by the folk from The Harris Poll® whom they admire enough to call their heroes, respondents mentioned most frequently the following individuals:

1. Barack Obama
2. Jesus Christ
3. Martin Luther King
4. Ronald Reagan
5. George W. Bush
6. Abraham Lincoln
7. John McCain
8. John F. Kennedy
9. Chelsey Sullenberger
10. Mother Teresa
11. God
12. Hillary Clinton
13. Billy Graham // Franklin D. Roosevelt
15. Mahatma Ghandi
16. Colin Powell // George Washington // Bill Clinton
19. Condoleeza Rice
20. Oprah Winfrey
21. Sarah Palin
22. George S. Patton // Bill Gates

Participants were also asked to select from a list of choices what made someone a hero. The top definitions given were:

1. Doing what’s right regardless of personal consequences (89%).
2. Not giving up until the goal is accomplished (83%).
3. Doing more than what other people expect of them (82%).
4. Overcoming adversity (81%).
5. Staying level-headed in a crisis (81%).

Who would make your list? Why?