Courage is the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery. This is a quality that not everyone possesses. Firefighters are some of the bravest people you will ever meet. Risking your life for someone you don't know is truly courageous. But when disaster strikes, firefighters aren't the only ones who can show courage. Louis Mulkey was a firefighter in Charleston, South Carolina. He also served as an assistant basketball and football coach at Summerville High School. Mulkey loved being a firefighter and a coach. The kids he coached loved him too. Mulkey had been coaching the same players since middle school, and he once promised them they would win the state championship before they graduated. He was the best coach a kid could hope for, he was enthusiastic, full of energy and most importantly, he believed in his players. On June 18, 2007, he was called to a fire at a furniture store. Mulkey and several other men entered the store. The fire quickly grew out of control and the roof collapsed. Mulkey was stuck in the dead-end store. Suddenly, a call for help was broadcast on the radio. It was Louis Mulkey, and in his last words he said, “Tell my wife…I love you.” He died at the age of thirty-four. Eight other firefighters were also killed in the blaze, making it the worst tragedy for firefighters since 9/11. Mulkey left behind a wife, a family and a group of children who had just lost a father figure. The basketball team was mourning the death of their coach at the start of the season. But they were on a mission; they were going to win the state championship like Mulkey promised. They decided as a team that the season would... middle of paper ... they would do it. They never forgot their coach. After the game, the team posed for a photo with Mulkey's wife and the helmet the firefighters had made for them. At 1 a.m. on the way home, the team stopped at the cemetery where Mulkey was buried to show him the state trophy. Some players even left their medals on his grave. Courage is being fearless and courageous in a difficult situation. Louis Mulkey knew what he was doing when he encountered this fire. He knew all the risks involved. But he still did it because it was his job, and he showed no fear while doing it. He left behind a distraught basketball team; a team that came together under terrible circumstances. All they had to do was give up after everything they had been through. Instead, they showed courage and accomplished what could be the best moment of their lives; win a state championship.