The concept of "people's hero" is often interpreted by people incorrectly. Many people think that only good and sincere personalities can do so, who have done something useful for society.
But in fact this title can be appropriated even to criminals. All because the people's heroes are people who make people talk about themselves. And no matter what reason they gave for this. The main thing is that they became famous, got into newspaper headlines, on the pages of Internet publications and in the annals of history. Below - 25 of the most famous people who once made a lot of noise in the press.
1. Edith Maysfield
She became the prototype of the protagonist of the full-length cartoon from the studio Pixar "Up". The merit of Edith was that she gave up the million dollars she was offered for demolishing her house. The area where Maisfield lived, modernized and instead of small cottages built up high-rise buildings. Since the woman was not evicted, all modern buildings were built around her house. Many supported Edith, her story flew around the world, and the image perpetuated in the cartoon.
2. Ned Kelly
The Australian bandit is known almost as well as Jesse James or even Robin Hood. Ned became a kind of face of the Irish settlers in Australia, who were oppressed by the local government. After a fierce exchange of fire with the police, Kelly was arrested. He wrote a long and detailed letter in which he expressed his dissatisfaction with the infringement of the rights of the Irish, but he was ignored. Before the hanging, Ned Kelly said, "Such is life."
3. Herman Perry
During the Second World War, Herman became one of 750 African American soldiers who, under an escort of 50 white military men, were sent to heavy road works in China. Working conditions were terrible, and in the end Perry killed one of the officers. Herman managed to avoid imprisonment. He disappeared into the Burmese jungle and began to live with the Naga tribe. Perry even married one local woman and started a child with her, but the military still managed to find him, catch him and execute him.
4. Aaron Schwartz
Internet activist, co-founder of Reddit dreamed of the Internet becoming an open knowledge base accessible to anyone who wants to. In 2010, he decided to try to crack the resource JSTOR - the digital base of full texts of scientific literature. Ordinary users can access books and magazines here only by subscription, the cost of which for an ordinary student, for example, is too high. And this was not at all satisfactory for Schwartz. Aaron's venture was a success - he managed to deflate several million documents. The hacker was charged with serious charges, but the 26-year-old Schwartz committed suicide before the trial.
5. Billy the Kid
Left orphaned as a teenager, he contacted a bad company and committed his first crime - stealing clothes. Billy was arrested, but he escaped from prison through the chimney. After that, he took a well-known nickname and became a bandit. Billy Kid became famous for his shooting skills and coolness. In a short period of time, he deprived many people of life. But at 21, he was shot by sheriff Pat Garrett. After the death, the image of Billy Kyd began to be widely used in cinematography and telecasts.
6. Earl Durand
Legend of Earl Durand
Earl Durand is from Wyoming. During the Great Depression, he killed an elk without a license, for which he was in the field of view of local authorities. Durant managed to lie to the bottom. After Earl killed several policemen, he was opened to the FBI. The man decided to save himself on a stolen car in Powell. Here Duran tried to rob a bank, but when it became obvious that his minutes were free, Earl shot himself.
7. Davy Crockett
He is one of the brightest heroes of American folklore. A border guard and a congressman with a dark racist past from Tennessee became famous throughout the country. Although his political activities were a failure, the journalists adored writing about Davy and his exploits. The story of Crockett ended in Texas, in the battle for the Alamo.
8. The Black Hawk
The leader of the Sauk tribes, Fox, Kickapoo, Ho Chunk. Black Hawk was against the Treaty of St. Louis, according to which the US received 50 million acres of land. The Black Hawk tried to recover the stolen lands and even launched a war of liberation. Initially, the militia fought dignified, but over time the resources of the army were exhausted, the leader was captured and sent to the east. He was taken to the prisons and showed gawkers like a beast in a zoo, but in the end the Black Hawk was released. The last years of his life he spent in Iowa.
9. Laurie Bembeneck
In the past, the "Playboy Bunny", she became a Milwaukee police officer and married Detective Fred Schulz. Later, Bembeneck was accused of killing Christina Schultz - Fred's ex-wife. The woman was shot and tied up and gagged. Laurie had motives, and a large number of clues indicated her involvement in the murder, but Bambi herself to the last stood on her innocence. She managed to escape from prison through the laundry window. The runaway was supported by many. She became a popular hero. Support group Bembenek distributed stickers and T-shirts with the slogan "Run, Bambi, run". As a result, the "bunny" is still caught. After serving some time, she was conditionally released ahead of schedule, but even after that she did not stop trying to whitewash her good name and continued to claim that she did not kill Christina Schultz.
10. Wild Bill Hickock
The legendary hero of the Civil War. The rigidity and determination of the sheriff helped to restore order in the dangerous areas of Kansas, where lawlessness flourished. His exploits were regularly written in newspapers. After leaving the law enforcement bodies, Hikoka was shot in the back of the head. The murderer of Jack McCall was not sentenced immediately, but eventually he fell into the hands of justice and was hanged.
11. Billy Miner
Many know about him under the nickname "Gangster Bandit." Even plundering trains, he did not forget about good manners. Billy Miner braked trains, isolated conductors, unhooked cars carrying gold, dynamite exploded doors into safes. He became the first in Canada to rob the train, but later moved to the United States.
12. Nelson Mandela
Most of his life he devoted to the struggle with apartheid in South Africa. After being released after a 27-year prison sentence, he managed to become president and finally defeated racial discrimination. Mandela advocated democracy, equality and encouraged compatriots to receive education.
13. Ronnie Biggs
He was a participant in the "Great Train Robbery" in 1963, as a result of which about 7 million dollars were stolen by criminals. Ronnie managed to escape to Brazil, where he even ventured to give an interview, and from there to Australia. Biggs was on the run for 13,068 days and evaded three times the attempt to return him to England, but eventually surrendered voluntarily.
14. Jesse James
Robbed trains and banks in the Midwest. About his adventures known throughout the world. Jesse James was all considered an exemplary family man, but he never gave up the criminal part of his life.
15. Fulan Devi
"Queen of bandits" married at 11 years of age not on goodwill. The spouse beat her, and Fulan tried to return home, but the family shamed her. Becoming a part of the gang, the girl was often subjected to violence, but in the end she took revenge. Devi killed 20 rapists and was sent to prison for 11 years. Once free, Fulan became a member of parliament - her story touched people. She tried to use her opportunities for the benefit of the common people from the lower castes. Unfortunately, much good Devi could not do - she was killed.
16. Simo Hyakia
During the Second World War, Simo, an incredibly talented Finnish sniper, killed 505 Soviet soldiers, for which he was nicknamed "White Death." Special tactics helped the Finns to withstand much more numerous troops. In the Battle of Wright Road, for example, they fought the 9,000-strong army and lost only 400 people.
17. John Brown
He sincerely believed that slavery could be defeated, and fought against the system. Together with his supporters, he organized a mutiny. John's reputation grew, and very soon he turned into a real hero. During the round-up, Brown was caught and hanged, but his name will go down in history forever.
18. Bonnie and Clyde
This is the most famous criminal couple. Of course, they did hideous things, but how beautiful and exquisitely they were hiding from the law! Their names were on the front pages, and the history of Bonnie and Clyde formed the basis for the plots of many films.
19. Malala Yusufzai
The youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize. Malala is a resident of Pakistan, who advocated the promotion of women's education in her country. And even after the Taliban group attacked it, Yusufzai did not give up her position.
20. Anna Chapman
She became a heroine right after she was accused of espionage in the United States. After the arrest, Anna still admitted her guilt and was deported to her homeland in Russia. The other would have tried to hide in her place, but Chapman decided to take advantage of the situation and make a name for herself in the modeling business and on television.
21. Terry Hoskins
After the 2008 housing crisis, Terry Hoskins became one of those people who were foreclosed by the system. When the bank announced its intention to take away his house, the man turned it bulldozer. The story of Hoskins flew around the world, and he quickly became a hero.
22. Gary Faulkner
A construction worker from Colorado, who has no special training, who went to Pakistan to find Osama bin Laden. He went "on the expedition" several times, but constantly returned with nothing, although Faulkner's brother claims that he was a couple of steps away from catching the main terrorist. When Gary's story surfaced, the Pakistani authorities deported him to their homeland.
23. Colton Harris-Moore
He committed the first crime at the age of 12. Later Colton became famous as a bandit stealing planes and breaking them when landing. The last vehicle Harris-Moore broke in the Bahamas, where he was arrested and sentenced to 6.5 years in prison.
24. Edward Snowden
The world spoke of him when Edward told the newspapers that the US government was monitoring its citizens. Someone then considered him a hero, and for someone Snowden became a traitor. At the moment he asked for political asylum in Russia and continues to disclose various state secrets in the network.
25. DiBi Cooper
One of the most mysterious heroes of our time. In 1971, he boarded a plane and announced to the stewardess that he was carrying a bomb in his briefcase. Cooper asked for $ 200,000 in redemption and a parachute. The plane landed in Seattle, and many passengers descended to the ground. After this, the crew took off again in the direction of Mexico City. During the storm, Cooper jumped from the side, and no one else saw him. Until today, the personality of DiBe Cooper and his fate remain a mystery.