Not many knew him as Karol Wojtyla, the playwright, poet, philosopher and accomplished actor. Instead, many knew him as Pope John Paul II, the religious leader of the Catholic Church who aided in the collapse of communism in Poland and apologized for the church's platform of noninvolvement during the Holocaust. Gun shot wounds, a broken hip, a tumor, Parkinson's disease and advanced aging did not stop the pope from becoming a powerful religious and political figure, though he was unwilling to admit having a political agenda. With the constant media coverage that has ensued since the pope fell ill, the world has had the ability to relive the events of his life and have seen the effects in today's society.

In 1979, by returning to his homeland of Poland, which was under communist control, Pope John Paul II inspired thousands of Polish workers to defy the government by staging strikes and creating a union. Ten years later, the people of Poland broke the communist monopoly, giving significant credit to the pope.

In 1981, after being shot twice, the pope granted forgiveness to his would-be assassin, and instead of locking himself within the walls of the Vatican, Pope John Paul II continued to fight communism abroad. Despite criticism surrounding the pope's extremist conservative viewpoint when it came to issues such as abortion, capital punishment and homosexuality, he remained progressive by the standards of his predecessors and recognized that religion is a major force in the free world.

The criticism, however justified some may believe it to be, takes the spotlight off of some of the world-changing initiatives the pope was able to accomplish, despite the Catholic and religious agenda he attempted to maintain. However, a man who is willing to fight for a greater humanity and toward a world that is not dictated by communism is a man worth being remembered and honored by more than just Catholics, or by more than Christians in general. A man who is willing to recognize the mistakes of the Catholic Church and attempt to rectify them is a man worth a hero's sendoff no matter what your beliefs.

Whether or not individuals felt compelled to follow his teachings or would have rather yelled at the top of their lungs defending that which the pope so adamantly opposed, the world must now recognize the impact he had on history. The pope spent his entire papacy attempting to create a better world through religious teachings, and despite his best efforts, this shown through as an agenda beyond the church. Whether or not the pope's teachings are strictly followed or are highly critiqued, it is impossible not to recognize what he was able to teach the world.