Heroes — in our families and on our TV screens — inspire us, comfort us and unite us.

• We asked you to tell us about your heroes, and hundreds of readers answered the call.

Meet some of Finish Line readers' heroes. We'll keep this series going with more responses in the weeks and months ahead.

• "My hero is my older brother Chris. He was born in 1963 and grew up during a time when autism wasn't as understood and accepted. As an adult, Chris desperately wanted to be independent. He bussed every day to a minimum wage job so that he could live in his own apartment in a supervised living facility."
• "Chris' memorial service was packed, with everyone from the pharmacist at the drugstore where he filled his prescriptions, to the woman at Supercuts who cut his hair, to coworkers, to friends from all walks of life. The stories they shared confirmed the positive and lasting difference he'd made in the lives of so many. That's exactly what the best heroes do." —Marian C., St. Louis, Missouri
• "As an older, gay science geek, my hero is Alan Turing. His cracking of the Enigma code arguably won WWII. He also is the intellectual father of the computer. However, post-war Britain was not accepting of an openly gay man, and he was hounded until he took his own life." —Steve D., Simcoe, Ontario, Canada
• "Star Trek's Captain Kathryn Janeway is my hero. She is open-minded, wry, curious, delighted by small pleasures, a general badass under pressure, loyal to her crew, and she consistently battles with and upholds a set of principles that would be easier and understandable to abandon." —Lindsay S., Minneapolis, Minnesota
• "My dad is my hero. That may sound trite, but it's true. Growing up I studied and admired aviators, astronauts and soldiers who exhibited valor, but the older I got, I realized my dad was the true hero. I realized just how lucky I was to have a dad who was so wise, so capable and so loving. There was — is — nothing he can't do." —Matt Z., St. Louis, Missouri
• "My hero, and I've never told her this, is my mom. She became the primary caregiver to my siblings when they were diagnosed with autism. She could have sent them to a group home, but instead chose to care for them at home. She exhibits patience, kindness and calm, daily. I aspire to be like her with my own children." —Laura C., Utica, New York
• "Dan Jansen, American speed skater. He never gave up his dream of a gold despite falling twice in Olympic races. His beloved sister died on the morning of his biggest race. Finally won a gold medal in 1994, his third Olympic Games. That's perseverance, dedication and heroism!" —Mary G., Lancaster, Pennsylvania

The bottom line: Celebrate your heroes!

"My son Josh, a U.S. Capitol Police officer who fought so valiantly on Jan. 6, is my hero," writes Finish Line reader Kathleen D., pictured above.

• She spoke with CBS News recently when Josh received a Congressional Gold Medal alongside his fellow officers for his service.

Watch the clip.