Self-sacrifice has long been the stuff of literary heroes.
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Even for the more modern incarnation of a blockbuster movie's leading character, the idea of putting others before yourself is a popular theme.
In the real world, the heroes are not so over the top, but their selflessness and devotion to their communities is very real.
In recent days Wagga lost one of its finest examples of this dedication to others.
Michael Georgiou spent most of his life working to give back to the community that had given a home to his family.
The former Wagga deputy mayor and businessman came to the city when he was just a child, one of the hundreds of thousands of Europeans who were looking for a fresh start after World War II left their homelands ravaged.
Mr Georgiou and his wife Dawn successfully ran Michael's Delicatessen in Baylis Street for 35 years and raised their son Nicholas at the same time.
This week Wagga lost one of its finest examples of this dedication to others.
Juggling a business with family life would have kept Mr Georgiou busy, but he didn't stop there.
He was one of the leaders of Wagga's Greek community and was a member of both the Apex and Rotary service clubs.
A quick glance at the other organisations Mr Georgiou joined will tell you he was active at his son's schools and recreation groups.
He served for more than a decade on Wagga City Council and was one of the pioneers of the 2AAA FM community radio station.
Nobody made Mr Georgiou do any of this. He simply considered that he had to repay the debt he believed he owed the community in which he found a home.
But, if you were to draw up a list of what Mr Georgiou got versus what he gave back, the list would be heavily skewed towards the devoted family man.
Mr Georgiou wasn't lucky to have found a home in Wagga. Instead, our city was the better for having a resident like him.
When a community loses someone like Michael Georgiou, they are left with a big void to fill.