"In the practice of tolerance, one's enemy is the best teacher."

- Dalai Lama

If one has love for a profession, he will withstand in the job no matter how many deadly snakes try to spit venom in all angles. Yes, there will be people around you who try to arrange a padmavyuh to trap the professional and get him out of his way in 'four or five months'. And he who loves the profession often emerges victorious surpassing all the obstacles that the people, who develop the grudge against him, often offer him. And in the race (not rat race for money!) to meet his goals (of enlightening and educating people), he might develop injuries - visible and invisible - but the determination would remain unaltered. We bring before you one such person, who came across all odds...developed grievous injuries and battled with his life...but he still didn't leave his profession.

Kieran Heakin in hospital

Mr. Kieran Heakin, who is a resident of UK, is the man in news whom you can see in the photo above. Wonder why his face was so badly injured? Well, a person brutally attacked him, punched him on the back of his neck, and kicked him in his head for several times as he fell on the floor and the result—Kieran developed broken nose, fractured eye socket, broken jaw and fracture of facial bones. When Kieran was rushed to hospital, the doctors performed surgery on him and inserted four iron plates into his face besides arch bars, horseshoes and wires.

Kieran recalls, his dying love for profession was irking a few who were planning for attacking him. And they were successful in just attacking him but not his determination. A school teacher by profession, all Kieran knew was to pin-point at the odds of the students only to ensure that there's perfection in them. He said teaching was no easy task especially when students come from 'deprived backgrounds.' No sense of discipline and work ethic among his students were supposedly bigger challenges before Kieran. Right from coming to school 'without their shirts in,' to n number of things, 'lack of discipline' made Kieran to take special interest on the students. He instilled morals among many of his students, who reportedly excelled in their fields but a few students didn't like the honest and strict approach of Kieran towards his work who apparently tagged it as bad attitude.

One day when Kieran was having dinner with his friends, a student named Jermaine Bullen approached him from behind. Did all that, which was mentioned above and finally evaded. Kieran friends said they could hear the crack sound when Jermain Bullen punched on the back of Kieran's neck. After a couple of months, Kieran recovered. He didn't develop fear but that attack made him more stronger. Although Jermain Bullen was prosecuted and sentenced for three years of imprisonment, Kieran said he never wanted to take any revenge on Jermain and said he excused Jermain.

Jermain Bullen 

After this ugly episode, Kirean Heakin plunged into his work of educating students. He thought the horrying episode would not repeat again but it unfortunately occurred yet another time.This time it was a '45-year-old parent.' In fact, age cannot be a factor to decide whether a man is good or bad since an immoral person from his childhood can continue to grow old with the same cunning features. Perhaps Kieran never knew this principle or else he would have not let the 'parent's appeal to listen to his problems.'

When the 45-year-old man approached Kieran-along with his partner and stepson- and requested him to hear his problems, poor Kieran accepted.  The parent told Kieran that his son should be removed from the school immediately since he was being bullied. Since Kieran knew that they were just allegations, he asked the 45-year-old man for proofs. Further, Kieran softly told the middle aged person that his stepson could not be removed out of school since they were many formalities and it would take time. At the max what Kieran thought was this middle aged person would emotionally blackmail him (because that's what people usually do when they want others to entertain their tall demands), but something unexpected happen. The parent put his foot against the room door and throttled him. Kieran thought that this middle-aged man would finish him off. But fortunately, the loop hole of the parent became a weapon to him. He quickly grabbed the shivering wrists (since the man was aged) of the parent and restrained him.  The parent then 'pleaded the teacher to leave him.' The moment Kieran Heakin released him, he allegedly hit him several times on arms, ribs and kneed twice in the groin. The blows received were hard. He was again admitted to hospital. And this time Mr. Heakin took just one day off.

Anjela, wife of Kirean

Today, Kieran Heakin has an injured face (with visible scars developed due to injuries and stitches), he lost his hearing in one ear and the ability to smell and taste. He, however, still continues to go to St. John the Baptist school,  which has 240 pupils on the roll. He stays at Rochdale with his wife, Angela, who never  said no to what Kieran did. She said although she was worried about Kieran developing enemies only because he does his job perfectly, she no more want's to persuade him from moving out of profession because she knew how important teaching was to Kieran. People like Kieran do exist in every profession with less friends and more enemies. Wishesh team says hats off to Mr. Kieran Heakin, who is the shining example of a real professional!

(AW Phani)