She plays a cheerleader hero in the hit TV show Heroes, and is surrounded by normal people with superhero powers in the said show, but Hayden Panettiere doesn’t have to look at them or too far for her own hero — coz she got it right in her own home. And it’s none other than her retired Manhattan firefighter dad! The “I Love You, Beth Cooper” actress reveals,

“He was a lieutenant in the fire department in NYC and he retired six months before 9/11, so he’s a big hero to me. He did that for 21 years. They are the heroes - normal people who save the world every day.”

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Wow! Imagine that! If Hayden’s father didn’t retire, he could have been killed in 9/11 too! Gahh.. Anyway, the 18-year old actress added,

“I’m from New York and my father retired from working with the first fire unit to go into the Twin Towers. He lost a lot of friends that day so the events stay very close to me.”