Meet Monroe Everyday Hero Autumn Sheppard, School and Church Volunteer

Do you know someone making a difference in our community? Patch wants to tell their story in a new series we’re calling “Everyday Heroes.” We are looking to share inspirational and uplifting stories of people who work to change others’ lives for the better.

The first in our series was sent in by Ryan Sheppard.

Name of Everyday Hero:

Autumn Sheppard.

Your relationship to the nominee:

Husband.

Details of good work:

My wife is not someone who wants any attention and would always defer acknowledgement to someone else but I would like to nominate my wife Autumn Sheppard. I think that’s one of the things I love about her so much, that she deflects the attention. She would probably be really embarrassed if she knew I was doing this. Obviously I am biased being her husband but I have good reason to nominate her. We have four young children, all age 10 and under and yet my wife still finds the time to not only manage a busy household but to donate her time and gifts to charities and other. Details of her good work done or being done are as follows:

1. Every Wednesday evening she volunteers her time tutoring lower income elementary age children in Bridgeport.

2. Every Sunday morning she volunteers her time teaching Sunday School to children at our local church.

3. During Christmas time she helps with a gift giving campaign for lower income children in Bridgeport.

4. She is a constant friend to many who need support, often showing them love and support and in whatever way she can.

5. She teaches Summer Bible camp every year.

6. She used to drive various strangers to their cancer appointments in Bridgeport.

There are so many I think I forgot them all, I could name several other things throughout the year that she does in helping others that she doesn’t think twice about. It is second nature to her, when any friend or family needs help she is there.

Why do you feel she is an Everyday Hero?

Where do I start? When I married Autumn I knew she was special, but I had no idea at the time how much I would come to respect and admire her as a person. She is unselfish, giving, caring, and has a big heart. At home with our four children she teaches them with a perfect balance between love, patience and discipline.

She is a hard worker, funny, loving and caring. I look up to her. I see how hard she works, taking care of a big family, a new baby, paying the bills, doing the laundry, maintaining a busy household and yet still finds time and energy for those less fortunate; she amazes me. She is an everyday hero because what she is teaching to our children on a daily basis; that life is not about us, rather that true contentment in life emptying our cup so we can fill someone else’s. She is an everyday hero because she is teaching our daughters not to be wrapped up in self image, that beauty is about giving, not getting.

She is an everyday hero because she teaches our son to respect and honor women, and he sees it everyday in how she sets an example. There is truly a special place for people like her. It’s a wonderful feeling to have the honor to spend my life with her. I honestly don’t know how she does it, my wife is an everyday hero to anyone she touches, and she will always be my everyday hero.