My mother is the author's hero. She is from India and came to Japan alone at age 32 not knowing the language. She faced many challenges as a new mother in a foreign country, such as difficulties finding doctors and healthy food as a vegetarian while pregnant. Despite obstacles with her husband's family and raising children as a single parent at times, she remained brave, positive, and always put her children first by teaching English, cooking dinner, and working after they slept. Now with her kids older, she is studying Japanese with a goal of acting again.

1. MY HERO My hero is my mother.