My father is my greatest hero, not so much for what he achieved, but particularly for what he surmounted late in life. He was tough, unflinchingly honest, and sensitive -- and always my biggest fan.
The closest I ever came to idolizing any other man was Paul Newman, who happened to be born in the same year as my father.
What I learned from Newman's movies, and later, from what I read about the artist himself, was no less than how to be a man. From his philanthropy and playing against his looks to the gutsy, unforgettable roles in Hud, The Hustler, Butch Cassidy, Slap Shot, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and my favorite (and that of many guys I know), Cool Land Luke.
Even though I've known this day was coming, I still feel like a baby. A world without Paul Newman is just weird.
