Age: 21
Occupation: Student, congressional intern
Previous TIME 100 appearances: 0
Intern Daniel Hernandez Jr. quickly rose to the rank of folk hero after rushing to the aid of Representative Gabrielle Giffords when she was shot in January. Stanching her bleeding with his hands, he became the first in a string of people credited with saving the Congresswoman's life. The actions of this young, gay, Hispanic student were especially poignant for minority groups, and many — including President Obama — have pointed him out as an example of true heroism.