Some just reach higher, dazzling the rest of us as they grasp what we only imagine in dreams. We watch, awed and admiring - our own lives buoyed by their example.
They are the 2004 Michiganians of the Year - citizens whose record of selflessness and success can't help but inspire even the cynical.
They are advocates for the poor and the overlooked - among them a businessman who's spent a lifetime battling for people with disabilities, a basketball superstar who slam-dunks for charities, and a guardian angel for foster children who's also a Supreme Court justice.
Inside you'll meet the auto exec who revolutionized factory morale, the financial magician who put the Detroit Symphony Orchestra back in the black and a minister of rare eloquence whose good works are legend.
As always since 1978, this year's Michiganians were picked from hundreds of nominations from our readers and represent a world of ways in which one person can make a difference.
They are pastors, volunteers, sports stars, judges, entrepreneurs and executives. They are cause for thanksgiving, and fuel for our own loftier ambitions.
Previous honorees
