MANILA, Philippines?Heroes and superheroes in show business are generally found in fantasy productions on the big and small screens. Once in a while, however, real-life heroes emerge in the biz, and the inspiration their tales of courage and service provide are especially moving, precisely because they?re so real.

Currently, the courageous hero who inspires us all is Rudy Fernandez, who continues to fight against the cancer that has sidelined him for more than two years now. Rudy?s real-life tale of courage is made particularly moving by the fact that he is an action star.

Rogues? gallery

On the big screen, he?s fought against a veritable rogues? gallery of fictive villains, but none of them has proven as difficult to vanquish as the Big C.

Despite more downs than ups, however, Rudy keeps fighting the good fight?and, equally instructively, his faith in God has also assumed heroic proportions as a result of his ongoing ordeal.

We don?t know how Rudy?s courageous saga will play itself out, but the inspiration he?s become to many Filipinos fully deserves our gratitude, even as we continue to pray for his recovery.

We also thank Rudy?s truly better half, Lorna Tolentino, for her own courage in the face of the unknown. On their 25th wedding anniversary, we say a special prayer for them to savor more years together, so they can continue to inspire us as the gutsiest couple in the entertainment world.

Musician nonpareil Toti Fuentes is no longer with us, but his own heroic fight against cancer continues to inspire us in a special way, because we witnessed his decade-long struggle.

Music

One time, we flew to Cagayan de Oro with Toti to cover his performance in the city we both call home. We saw how his pain seemed to ?miraculously? disappear the minute he started playing. That?s how much he loved?and lived for?his music.

We were especially moved to see how, even when he was in pain, Toti sustained his upbeat view of life. Many others in his dire and seemingly hopeless situation would have given up or even cursed heaven itself, but Toti had no time for?and patience with?such negativism.

From him, we learned that every new day should be appreciated, celebrated and lived to its fullest, because it may be our last. In Toti?s case, the time came when that thought became more than just a wise insight, but he could finally rest easy in the earned knowledge that God?s daily gift of life to him had definitely not been wasted.

In fact, it continues to bear and share its fruits: Toti may no longer be with us, but his love for music, people and life lives on!

Finally, let?s hear it for the growing number of stars on the local and international scenes who have been using their celebrity to make the world a better place to live in?by supporting a wide range of laudable and important causes.

They know who they are, but let?s especially single out some inspiring ?stars for others? like Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Bono, Elizabeth Taylor, Katie Couric, Oprah Winfrey, Don Cheadle and George Clooney.

?May their heroic tribe increase!