Why Lara Croft is my hero

Back in 1999 I was injured in an auto accident that left me with 17 fractures, two blood transfusions and three titanium rods implanted in my body. I was in a wheel chair for 9 months and sunk into a depression when I was finally released from the hospital. One of the many things I did to pass the time was play video games, specifically the Tomb Raider games. Unable to use my legs, I found that I could walk again through Lara Croft. Not only could I walk but I could travel the world and search for ancient artifacts and face the unknown.

One night I had a vivid dream that I actually was Lara. I guess you can call it my first cosplay dream. Dressed in her classic outfit, I looked down and discovered that I was standing on my own two feet. I immediately began to run, elated that I had my mobility back. My surgical scars were also gone. It was with great sadness that I woke up trapped in my own body again, unable to do antyhing. I worked very hard in therapy. My doctors said I would be walking again within 12 months or later. This was not acceptable to me and through blood, sweat and tears I was walking in 9 months.

Shortyly after the live action movie was released featuring my favorite woman in the world, Angelina Jolie. In 2006 I began the hobby of cosplay and in 2009 I put the catsuit version of Lara Croft together (as seen in the video games). I kept my darker hair mirroring Angelina (Lara's hair is light brown in the video games) so my cosplay is sort of a combination of the video game Lara and movie Lara.

Through that difficult time, Lara was an escape from reality for me. I was able to leave the wheel chair behind and do extrodinary things through her. She is the female version of the Batman. She has all the smarts and cool gadgets. It takes pure guts to do what she does. She is not gifted with super powers and yet does the most incredible things known to man. She is beautiful, sexy, brave, smart and never gives up. She can over come any obstacle.

Lara Croft is my hero because she literally inspired me to learn how to walk. There were often times where I felt trapped in my own body and through her I could live again.