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Sports Writer Discovers A New Appreciation For the Heroism Of All Parents!

This Newspaper Article Documented the First In Search Of Heroes Copywriting Program When David Ganong and Laura Neale Searched For Heroes at Disneyland and Universal Studios

September 29, 1993

By Ralph Zuranski

Who are the real Heroes in society?

What are the names of those that daily Help Enthusiastically, Responsibly, Optimistically (HERO)? After two weeks of living with a visiting thirteen year-old, the answer became readily apparent; all mothers and fathers!

My first attempt at surrogate parenting is completed.

I now respect and admire all parents, especially single moms and dads, more than I could possibly have imagined. They are truly the ultimate, unsung, and unnoticed Heroes.

How did I arrive at this conclusion, this incontestable realization of fact?

Well, after 44 years of being single, I assumed I was ready to teach a young person about super nutrition, brain integration, exercise, stretching, two-handed tennis and creative writing.

I had spent many years preparing myself to teach a young person like David Ganong, the first participant in the "Heroes-In-Training Program," the most valuable things I had learned in 30 years of health research.

Boy, was I in for a big surprise! I erroneously believed I could transform him into the ultimate teenage athlete and genius. Little did I realize my expectations were radically different than his desires and interests.

Where does adult idealism and high expectations end and the childhood reality begin?

I recently discovered the answer. It ends during your first couple of days of taking care of them! Everything that can go wrong will! My high hopes, great expectations and idealism diminished quickly. The nagging question, "How do parents raise kids without going insane?" repeated in my mind like a broken record.

First off, I waited for David at the wrong gate at the San Diego Airport.

After the passengers emptied from the plane, a sick feeling arose in the pit of my stomach. "No David! What now? Do I have the airline and the flight number correct? Obviously not!"

I immediately checked with the agent.

She searched for his name on all flights out of Boston. There was no listing. I wondered, "Am I getting old and senile or are his parents playing tricks?" I was looking for someone to blame. Had I transcribed the wrong information or did they mistakenly give me incorrect data? Is this a test of my intestinal fortitude and ingenuity? I began to feel the stress building, the anxiety increasing.

After numerous pages and missed connections, David came up and grabbed my arm, as I desperately searched for a face barely remembered, one that had almost certainly changed in the last 5 years.

He said, "Ralph, I am glad I found you. I recognized you because you look the same but your hair is a lot grayer."

I thought sarcastically, "Fine, thanks a lot kid.

You really know how to score points with someone, concerned about getting older." I began to get upset but suddenly realized his statement was only childhood honesty. I was getting older, just as he was becoming a young man.

We had started off on the wrong foot.

Someone had blown the flight information, but everything worked out. He confessed being quite frightened after 90 minutes of searching for a familiar face. I was very relieved he had recognized mine, no matter how I had aged.

"Well David, what do you want to eat," I asked enthusiastically.

I had accumulated the most nutritious food; alfalfa, clover and sunflower seed sprouts, three types of lettuce, cabbage, carrots and squash and sprouted grain Essene bread. I was ready, willing and able to feed him fresh fruits and juices, slightly steamed vegetables, delicious brown rice, soy protein smoothies, fertile brown eggs, lean steak and fresh fish. "Whoa, was I mistaken!"

David quickly set me straight, "I hate fish.

I eat cereal with milk for breakfast. I usually have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch. Pizza and ice cream are my favorite foods. I don't eat sprouts but like lettuce with Italian dressing! I like hamburgers and fries!"

I was stunned! I suddenly saw the big picture.

I was learning fast about the nutritional battle that rages between kids that like junk food and parents that want them to eat healthy. His father, a medical doctor had counseled me long before David arrived, "Make sure he takes two acidophilus capsules in the morning, 40 minutes before eating. Give him two enzymes pills with every meal and two Super Blue Green Alpha and Omega Algae capsules at breakfast and lunch. Everything will be okay."

Dr. Ganong told me, "The acidophilus keeps his intestines healthy and elimination normal.

The enzymes help break down all foods. The Omegas are nerve and brain cell food. The Alphas provide all the micro-nutrients required to keep him healthy and energetic."

This sounded good! I realized my only choice was to take the capsules also.

If they helped a kid be healthy while eating what I considered junk food, perhaps they would help me survive a journey into the nightmare of "Junk Food Hell."

One thing that really surprised me was how much children sleep.

David worked overtime at the San Diego Comic Convention. He interviewed Jim Shooter, one of the most important people in the comic industry and head of "Defiant Comics" (see page 16 of the Sept. 1, 1993 issue of the Eagle). We were up until 11 PM every night and had to get up early.

I thought David would want to get up at 5 AM every morning to work out on the "Life Cycle," "Stair Master," and Dyna-Cam machines, stretch and learn to play two-handed tennis.

Was I in for another shock; one workout and that was it! The exercise part of the program was suddenly history!

"Welcome to child reality versus adult expectations!"

David needed lots of sleep. On most days, after the third time of telling him, "David, it's time to get up," I realized I was doing something wrong. With no response other than open glazed eyes, it occurred to me to ask, "Are you listening to me?" The blank stare was enough. It dawned on me he was sleeping with his eyes open.

I wondered, "How do kids do this?

Is he deliberately trying to torment me?" I soon discovered the answer was no. The simple fact is, kids need more sleep than adults; so much for the physical conditioning and tennis lessons.

Another question I asked often is, "Why do kids need a new towel every time they take a shower?

After all, their bodies are clean when they come out of the shower, aren't they?" Theoretically, one towel should last at least a couple of weeks; it does for me. Besides, it is easy to tell when towels need washing. They stiffen from the dried minerals in San Diego's hard water!

For all you concerned moms, yes, I did burn the midnight oil washing clothes and towels.

David insisted on clean clothes every day. This was a real eye opener, changing under wear I can understand but different pants every day? This was a mystery to me. "Ralph, welcome to laundry reality!"

My respect for parents, especially single moms and dads, escalated to the Nth degree.

"How do they keep their sanity, feed the kids, clean the house, wash the clothes and make a living all at the same time?" I was just barely competent at all four! I wondered, "Does daily practice make it any easier?"

After the four days at the comic convention, David slept one entire day.

I was very impressed with his sleeping ability. I assumed he was really tired. I had learned my lesson. Let him sleep and get as much done as possible.

For two days, David transcribed his interview with Jim Shooter and filled out his contest entry form to be a "Good Guy" in the "Defiant Comic Contest."

David was very interested in winning the $1000 and royalty contract so he could buy a new CD-ROM drive for his Macintosh computer. We made a lot of trips to computer stores to look at software and hardware. David and I had a running battle over which was best, Windows or Macintosh based computers. After a few days, I didn't really care anymore.

During his stay, David proved he was a real HERO.

He taught Kelly McCormack at the "Coronado Fitness Center" how to use her computer. David helped interview CHS Waterpolo Coach Randy Burgess. When he discovered the Coach had a software problem with his "Mac," David volunteered to fixed it. Randy, his wife, daughter and new son were so grateful, they bought him dinner at "La Salsa."

As a reward for his hard work and computer knowledge generosity, I decided take David in search of Heroes at the San Diego Zoo, Sea World, Universal Studios, Disneyland and Magic Mountain.

We worked together to make "Eagle" Press Credential Passes. David helped write and fax In Search of Heroes Copywriting Program proposals to the different theme park public relation departments.

After going to the "Zoo" and "Sea World" I was sick of amusement park rides.

We needed another teenager to accompany David. I called my best friends Cindy and Ted Neale. Their 15 year old daughter Laura was interested in participating in the "In Search of Heroes Copywriting Program." I was thrilled and relieved.

We traveled to Los Angles and stayed at the luxurious home of Bernie Kowalski, television producer of "Magnum P.I.," "Air Wolf," "Perry Mason" and "Jake and the Fatman." Laura is his granddaughter and her parents were very gracious.

We visited "Universal Studios," "Disneyland" and "Magic Mountain." Laura and David enjoyed just about every ride and interviewed Heroes in the public relations department at Disneyland. They evaluated all the rides and compared the features of each park. (These interviews will appear in a future issue of the Eagle.)

The whirlwind tour was exhausting and humorous.

I will have a special report on the perceptions of my two cub journalists, their ratings of the parks and rides and the funny situations that occurred. We all ate lots of junk food and ice cream.

After my two weeks of parenting I am compelled to say, "Parents I salute and admire you!

How do you do it? I thank God for Super Blue Green Algae that makes you smart, keeps you healthy and gives you energy, enzymes that digest pizza (which we ate continuously), and acidophilus that prevented constipation." Both David, Laura and I survived in style, became the best of friends, and learned to respect each other. Both David, Laura and I learned that becoming HEROES is not as simple as we thought.

I am thankful for the training I received during the "Heroes-In-Training Program."

I have gained a greater appreciation and respect for young people and am beginning to understand parental responsibility. I need more parental and teenager input to improve the "In Search of Heroes Copywriting Program."