We all know that heroes walk among us.

Each day all around us are police officers who put their lives on the line to protect and serve us all. Many of our friends and neighbors are volunteer firefighters or emergency medical technicians who rush out of their homes or away from their jobs at any hour of the day or night when someone in the community is in need of their help.

There are plenty of other types of heroes, too. There are those who set examples of strength and determination by standing up for what is right. There are moms and dads who leave their families and head off to work each day, doing things they may not want to do in order to ensure their children have healthy meals to eat and a roof over their heads.

Heroes come in all shapes and sizes — and they can be just about any age.

A true example of this can be found in Ace Ongley of Shadyside.

Ace is a 9-year-old boy who was lucky enough to take a summer vacation to Myrtle Beach with his family. An article on Page 1 of today’s newspaper will tell you a lot about him and his trip.

What you need to know, however, is that he is a hero in the truest sense of the word.

It seems that Ace is a pretty observant and good-natured young man. And he is selfless enough to care about and want to help others. That is how he ended up saving a life last week.

As Ace was enjoying some time in and around the ocean with his four siblings and other relatives, he noticed a floppy hat floating in the water. Recalling that he had seen the hat on a nearby toddler earlier that day, Ace went to retrieve it and return it to the child’s family.

When he reached the hat, however, he found much more than he had bargained for. They tiny owner of the hat was submerged in the water beneath it. Ace quickly scooped her up, got her to shore and her family and got help from a lifeguard and others. CPR was performed on the 1-year-old girl and she survived.

Thank goodness the outcome was a happy one. And thank goodness for young heroes like Ace.