I undoubtedly have a watered-down standard of heroism. For me, given the stresses of raising children, I’m impressed with any parents who manage to raise their kids with affection, kindness, a consistent ability to say no, and a general sense of calm for a few hours at a time! They are my heroes. Parents in sandboxes. Parents on playground slides. Heroes! Parents who help their overwhelmed parent friends by watching their children for a few hours. Parents who help PTAs and sports leagues. Parents who take the time to be extra solicitous of their neighbor’s kids so their apartment buildings feel like nice places to grow up. All of that is heroic to me. ---

But the people celebrated in our annual tribute to local Family Heroes are deserving in ways that are above and beyond my everyday standards. Typically, they are in the fortunate position of being able to have a positive influence on lots of kids, lots of families. More importantly, they deliver.

My colleagues and I like to challenge ourselves each year to come up with a group of Family Heroes that is so varied, it’s a tribute to the limitless possibilities of giving back and an inspiration to others. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to get to know this year’s group (starting on page 55), and let us know if we’ve hit our mark.

I don’t know our cover subject Carley Roney well enough to describe her as heroic, but without question she is inspiring. Working with her long-time partner, husband David Liu, Carley is Co-Founder of the powerhouse wedding planning brand The Knot, along with The Nest and The Bump. She’s helped so many new families get from here to there—all the while raising three delightful kids of her own. Don’t those amazing pictures (page 48) speak for themselves? The interview even more so!

There’s so much in this issue that I want to recommend and so little space in which to do it. To wit: Don’t miss the Holiday Gift Guide (page 42), the Charity Guide (page 68), and the personal essays on giving back (page 66) and running the marathon (82).

Have a Happy December! I hear it’s a good month for everyday heroics.

ERIC MESSINGER

EDITOR

emessinger@manhattanmedia.com