Once I reached the end of the line, I was startled by their roaring cheers. They erupted into applause, as if we were at a sold-out Yankees game. It was an amazing, beautiful sound. But were those cheers for me? I hoped it was for all of them—the brave men and women who left their spouses and children and jobs to risk their lives to find lost souls such as me. I will forever be indebted to them. They are my heroes.
