Some heroes are made by the circumstances surrounding them, and others are born to be heroes. All of them, however, share one thing: the heart of a lion. Courage and the will to fight to the end is what separates the hero from the common man. It is their steadfast determination to stand up and fight against seemingly invincible forces that raises them above the vulgar crowds and earns them a place in history as brave and courageous warriors.

Guillermo "Coco" Fariñas is one of those men. Like his fearless predecessor Orlando Zapata Tamayo, and thousands of other Cuban heroes, Fariñas has a heart of a lion. Almost three weeks into his hunger strike, his body is frail and emaciated, but his valiant heart continues to fight against tyranny.

On Thursday, another hero, Lech Walesa, spoke to Fariñas by telephone shortly before he had to be hospitalized. Walesa pleaded with him to end his strike, reminding him that Cuba needs people like him alive to bring about freedom.

Fariñas response to him was that of a courageous lion. From hero to hero, he said to Walesa, "If I die, I ask you to lay a wreath on my grave when Cuba is free."

That, my friends, is what being a hero is all about.