… The other one that comes to mind is also the very first we did, called “Autopsy”, written by Larry Kaplow. Absolutely exquisite. It’s about a little girl suffering from a brain tumour, and everyone in the hospital constantly sings her praises as a brave little angel. But House commits this absolute blasphemy of doubting her bravery. You’re not allowed to do that, especially on TV and especially with children. People who suffer from cancer are sanctified. But House being House, he makes the shocking but nonetheless inarguable point that not everybody can be as brave as everyone else. If everyone’s a hero, the word has no meaning. …
- Hugh Laurie talking about his all-time favourite House episodes, 2009
It's so true. People with terminal diseases are brave but they have no choice. You have the disease and you fight it the best you can. You're going to have your good moments and incredibly bad moments. It is brave, but no heroic.
I think to be hero you need to make a decision that could endanger your life in order to help someone else. It's like so-called hero pilots who save planes from crashing – of course they are going to try and and the plane in a river than faceplant into a building.
A hero like that Brendan Keilar fellow.