Many have called him a hero; even president Barack Obama has recognized him for his courage. However, for Daniel Hernández, who is now revealing his life in a new memoir, he's just a regular guy “who happened to be in the right place at the right time.”
On Jan. 8, 2011 in Tucson, Arizona, Hernández witnessed the moment when a gunman unexpectedly opened fire during a political gathering at a supermarket parking lot. He killed six people and wounded another 13, including local congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.
At the time, Hernández was starting his first week as an intern in the congresswoman’s office and attended the event without suspecting he would later become the person who helped victims shot during the attack, and save the lives of many.
With the little medical emergency lessons he had taken in the past, he managed to find the entrance wound on the left side of Gifford’s skull and cover it with his bare hands trying to stop the bleeding. This kept her alive until the paramedics arrived.
Two years later, Hernández, of Mexican descent, says he has used the fame and recognition that came from that event to help other young Latinos understand they too can make a difference. He has also become an inspirational leader within the LGBT community.
In his first book "They Call Me a Hero: A Memoir of My Youth," he shares his experiences from the day of the shooting to how that moment has helped him turn into a better person, yet he still assures he is no hero.
"I really still don't think of myself as a hero," he said to The Huffington Post. "I was just a 20-year-old intern who happened to be in the right place at the right time. I hope to dedicate myself to being a true hero some day, by doing something positive like Gabby -- by helping others."
Take a look above at HuffPost Live interview with Daniel Hernández.
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