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The Hero Next Door: Stories of Patriotism and Purpose
The beloved Emmy Award–winning face of ABC News and New York Times bestselling author Martha Raddatz shares ten stories of American warriors and their families, whose superhuman sacrifice and resilience—on and off the battlefield—show that true courage comes in many forms.
Martha Raddatz has seen the uncommon courage of service members and their families and watched—in war zones but also on the home front—as they have faced daunting odds and come out stronger. She asked veterans whose character and actions have impacted her deeply to relive their most challenging moments, so that others will know who they are and what they have done.
We meet an air force rescue parajumper who put his life on the line to save a man whose fate would become entwined with his; a marine ambushed in Helmand whose life-changing injury forced him to take on a different kind of fight; a trailblazing F-18 fighter pilot haunted by what she saw; a combat surgeon who pioneered a new way of saving people with traumatic brain injuries and turned his world upside down to train doctors in Ukraine; an intelligence officer who forged a lifetime friendship with the man who saved him on 9/11; two mothers whose love and sacrifices embody the ideal of selfless service.
Some were inspired to join the military by parents who served and some left abusive families, determined to do better. Some joined when everyone was against it. They were there because they wanted to be part of something bigger than themselves. Raddatz shows how the qualities that made them shine on the battlefield gave them the strength to conceive of transformative second acts. The focus, mental resilience, and emotional fortitude kept them going through physical and emotional setbacks. They started companies to fill a need, created nimble nonprofits, and hunted for humor wherever they could find it.
Most Americans don’t know these people. They’ve shown real courage, and yet they would say they don’t deserve the accolades. There is no sure way to spot a hero, but we should do more to honor and celebrate the heroes next door.
Martha Raddatz has seen the uncommon courage of service members and their families and watched—in war zones but also on the home front—as they have faced daunting odds and come out stronger. She asked veterans whose character and actions have impacted her deeply to relive their most challenging moments, so that others will know who they are and what they have done.
We meet an air force rescue parajumper who put his life on the line to save a man whose fate would become entwined with his; a marine ambushed in Helmand whose life-changing injury forced him to take on a different kind of fight; a trailblazing F-18 fighter pilot haunted by what she saw; a combat surgeon who pioneered a new way of saving people with traumatic brain injuries and turned his world upside down to train doctors in Ukraine; an intelligence officer who forged a lifetime friendship with the man who saved him on 9/11; two mothers whose love and sacrifices embody the ideal of selfless service.
Some were inspired to join the military by parents who served and some left abusive families, determined to do better. Some joined when everyone was against it. They were there because they wanted to be part of something bigger than themselves. Raddatz shows how the qualities that made them shine on the battlefield gave them the strength to conceive of transformative second acts. The focus, mental resilience, and emotional fortitude kept them going through physical and emotional setbacks. They started companies to fill a need, created nimble nonprofits, and hunted for humor wherever they could find it.
Most Americans don’t know these people. They’ve shown real courage, and yet they would say they don’t deserve the accolades. There is no sure way to spot a hero, but we should do more to honor and celebrate the heroes next door.
368 pages, Hardcover
Published May 26, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
June 4, 2026
Love the book! Written super well as a bunch of mini biographies that kept me engaged with everyone’s story. A great reminder that regardless of political circumstances there are still hero’s serving.
June 1, 2026
“How best to live a life that has been so permanently altered?” Captain Derek Herrera
The Hero Next Door offers a glimpse into the lives of servicemen and women who fought on the front lines fighting America’s wars since 9/11. Some of these men and women were only in high school when the Twin Towers were struck, but each of them felt a calling to serve their country.
Derek Herrera was deployed to Afghanistan in June 2012. His mission was to disrupt the flow of Taliban weapons and the fighters themselves. While on the roof of a farmhouse, surrounded by heavy gunfire, Derek was hit. His injury left him paralyzed from the chest down. As he began to heal and realized his paralysis was permanent he asked himself, “How do I live my best life when it has been so permanently altered?” He went on the design and create a catheter for paralyzed men. He transformed his physical and mental trauma into purpose. Derek’s is just one of the remarkable stories of heroism and patriotism in this book.
I think what makes this books so deeply moving is Martha Raddatz, who is the Chief Global Affairs Correspondent reporting for ABC News, developed trust and eventually a friendship with each of the veterans she portrayed. She personally knows and loves each of the people whose story she highlights. Her research is not from books, but from face-to-face contact and years of building relationships with veterans and their families.
The Hero Next Door offers a glimpse into the lives of servicemen and women who fought on the front lines fighting America’s wars since 9/11. Some of these men and women were only in high school when the Twin Towers were struck, but each of them felt a calling to serve their country.
Derek Herrera was deployed to Afghanistan in June 2012. His mission was to disrupt the flow of Taliban weapons and the fighters themselves. While on the roof of a farmhouse, surrounded by heavy gunfire, Derek was hit. His injury left him paralyzed from the chest down. As he began to heal and realized his paralysis was permanent he asked himself, “How do I live my best life when it has been so permanently altered?” He went on the design and create a catheter for paralyzed men. He transformed his physical and mental trauma into purpose. Derek’s is just one of the remarkable stories of heroism and patriotism in this book.
I think what makes this books so deeply moving is Martha Raddatz, who is the Chief Global Affairs Correspondent reporting for ABC News, developed trust and eventually a friendship with each of the veterans she portrayed. She personally knows and loves each of the people whose story she highlights. Her research is not from books, but from face-to-face contact and years of building relationships with veterans and their families.
May 29, 2026
This is a book about heroes: the military men, their families, the support people. “There is no sure way to spot a hero.” Well, maybe “the one sure way to spot a hero may be to look for the ones who insist they are not.” In a war zone you learn “how a moment can reveal character, and I have learned valuable lessons from the service men and -women I have come to know, life lessons about courage and selflessness, purpose and resilience, that have relevance for us all. I also learned, early on in my time as a war correspondent, that true heroes are rarely the ones you’d imagine.” The people featured in this book “represent the generation that has answered the call to service since 9/11, who collectively serve as powerful antidotes to the corrosive cynicism that prevails in so much of our culture today.” The book read like a string of short stories, but that underlying thread of heroism and purpose, in small ways and large, connected them all. I was as much impressed by author Martha Raddatz as by her subjects.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
This review is based on an advance copy.
This book has ten chapters that each tell the story of a different veteran or group of veterans and their families. As she says in her introduction, while people may agree or disagree with a war, there are people behind all the headlines we read. They are doing incredibly brave things and making huge sacrifices and they should be appreciated and honored. This book does an adequate job of spotlighting some of these people from all walks of life and with all different roles, both within the military itself and from the military families. I do think that the variety of people spotlighted here is a huge benefit. The effect on the families of their loved ones returning permanently injured or not at all is also shown here, something that has far less awareness than stories of the military members themselves.
Overall a good read, but a bit repetitive at times. The perfect book for Memorial Day.
This book has ten chapters that each tell the story of a different veteran or group of veterans and their families. As she says in her introduction, while people may agree or disagree with a war, there are people behind all the headlines we read. They are doing incredibly brave things and making huge sacrifices and they should be appreciated and honored. This book does an adequate job of spotlighting some of these people from all walks of life and with all different roles, both within the military itself and from the military families. I do think that the variety of people spotlighted here is a huge benefit. The effect on the families of their loved ones returning permanently injured or not at all is also shown here, something that has far less awareness than stories of the military members themselves.
Overall a good read, but a bit repetitive at times. The perfect book for Memorial Day.
June 9, 2026
This one hit differently. I have people I love who serve, and I had to take The Hero Next Door one chapter at a time — giving myself space to breathe between each one.
Martha Raddatz introduces us to ten men and women who would call what they did ordinary. We know better. These are people who run toward danger, who sign up willingly, who sacrifice more than most of us will ever understand. And Raddatz doesn't forget the families left behind to pick up the pieces — their story is in here too. We may not all agree on war. But I believe we can agree on this: these are heroes. Every one of them. Deeply moving, beautifully written, and an important read — especially right now.
Martha Raddatz introduces us to ten men and women who would call what they did ordinary. We know better. These are people who run toward danger, who sign up willingly, who sacrifice more than most of us will ever understand. And Raddatz doesn't forget the families left behind to pick up the pieces — their story is in here too. We may not all agree on war. But I believe we can agree on this: these are heroes. Every one of them. Deeply moving, beautifully written, and an important read — especially right now.
June 19, 2026
Patriotism is Still Alive in America
Martha Raddatz gives a beautiful, broad view of honor, loyalty and patriotism in several different categories of American lives and characters that is still alive and well in our country. For anyone who thinks that the old fashioned values are lost on today's youth, her stories show how wrong that notion truly is. Her stories show the strength and hard work in getting through extraordinarily tough situations from all different angles, that people still have in abundance. She shows a variety of the forms of heroism that appear all around us all the time. Great read!!
Martha Raddatz gives a beautiful, broad view of honor, loyalty and patriotism in several different categories of American lives and characters that is still alive and well in our country. For anyone who thinks that the old fashioned values are lost on today's youth, her stories show how wrong that notion truly is. Her stories show the strength and hard work in getting through extraordinarily tough situations from all different angles, that people still have in abundance. She shows a variety of the forms of heroism that appear all around us all the time. Great read!!
June 8, 2026
First I would like to say Thank you for your service to each person highlighted in this novel. Heartbreaking and heartwarming read of heroes. I was given an advanced reader copy of this well written novel by NetGalley and I am freely sharing my review. #netgalley @netgalley #martharaddatz @authormartharaddarz #avidreaderpress @avidreaderpress #simonandschusterpublisher @simonandschusterpublisher
June 15, 2026
My first thought ws why is an 88 year old woman with no military contact reading a book like this. Then, I realized it was a feel good book. Each of the persons interviewed had had a devastating war experience, and, yet, they and their families had made conditions so they could live a life that was fulfilling. The author inserts her relationship with the subjects of the book. There is the right amount of this candor. Congratulations, Martha Raddatz. A job well done.
June 20, 2026
Great stories of men and women who were amazing heroes. I could not read it straight through as parts were gritty, graphic, and sad. But taken in smaller doses each day I found myself uplifted and inspired. I think Martha Raddatz is an inspiring hero herself for all she has done to help veterans. Her reporting has made the world know more fully the many facets and costs of war. However there is no hero chapter in this book for her. A must read
May 31, 2026
Impartial for all generations!
Extremely well written this book provides insights into worlds most if us will never experience. One that our husbands, brothers and other relatives never felt comfortable sharing. Thank you Martha Raddatz.
Extremely well written this book provides insights into worlds most if us will never experience. One that our husbands, brothers and other relatives never felt comfortable sharing. Thank you Martha Raddatz.
June 10, 2026
Remember and Respect
Communicated with an emotional depth and impact as no other story I've read this is a story of brave heroes. Every American should read this book, but be prepared to cry a lot.
Communicated with an emotional depth and impact as no other story I've read this is a story of brave heroes. Every American should read this book, but be prepared to cry a lot.
June 16, 2026
I appreciate the insights that Martha provides about the military members and their families stories represented in the book. Thank you Martha for your bravery reporting from the places that we will never experience but our active duty soldiers will live through and carry the rest of their lives..
June 16, 2026
Gripping and inspiring stories of courage and overcoming odds. I appreciated the details on who these people were before and after the life-changing events they experienced, as well as how the author came to know them.
June 18, 2026
Wonderful!
This book not only kept my attention, but taught me about how grateful I am for what I have and what these exceptional people have done for each and every one of us 💔
Well done Martha.
This book not only kept my attention, but taught me about how grateful I am for what I have and what these exceptional people have done for each and every one of us 💔
Well done Martha.
May 27, 2026
I wanted to love this. I love the idea of the book. I could not get past the writing and way too wordy to tell the story.
June 1, 2026
True stories about service members, their families and doctors who treat their injuries. So sad and wasteful when their lives are totally changed or lost.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews