I'm so thankful to everyone who has helped me along the way.

The words of Zach Ertz, “I’m so thankful to everyone who has helped me along the way,” ring with the sound of humility, of recognition, and of the eternal truth that no victory is ever won alone. In his declaration, there is not the boast of an individual warrior but the gratitude of one who knows he has stood on the shoulders of many. These words remind us that though the world often glorifies the hero who stands on the field of triumph, behind every champion is an army of unseen hands — parents, teachers, mentors, friends — who lifted him when he stumbled and guided him when the path was uncertain.

The ancients honored this truth with their stories. Even Achilles, swiftest of the Greeks, did not fight alone but was aided by Patroclus, beloved companion who gave his life in battle. Even Odysseus, cleverest of men, needed the counsel of Athena to return home. So too, Ertz acknowledges that his journey has not been solitary but supported. To be thankful in this way is to recognize the sacred web of fellowship, the bonds that weave one life into many. Gratitude is the light by which we see the hidden labor of others that made our journey possible.

History gives us a living example in the story of Nelson Mandela. When he emerged after twenty-seven years of imprisonment, the world looked upon him as a singular giant. Yet Mandela himself always spoke of the countless others — comrades, supporters, family members — who suffered alongside him and sustained him with courage and love. He declared that he could not have endured without their sacrifice. Like Zach Ertz, Mandela’s greatness lay not only in his strength, but in his humility to honor the multitude who helped bear the weight of his struggle.

The power of Ertz’s words lies also in their defiance of pride. For pride whispers that success is ours alone, that our victories spring only from our own hands. But wisdom teaches otherwise: the hand that steadies us, the voice that encourages us, the sacrifice that clears our path — these are the true foundations of triumph. To ignore them is to walk blind; to honor them is to walk in light. Gratitude, then, is the shield against arrogance and the bridge to deeper fellowship.

And yet, his words do not stop at acknowledgment. They also carry the seed of responsibility. For if we are helped along the way, we are also called to help others along theirs. Just as rivers that receive must also give, so too must we pass on the strength, the wisdom, and the love we have received. This is the chain of humanity, unbroken from generation to generation: those who were lifted must themselves become lifters of others.

What lesson, then, shall we take from this? That in every victory, pause to see not only your own strength but the unseen labor of those who stood beside you. Speak their names. Honor their sacrifices. And when another begins their journey, remember your own, and offer your hand as it was once offered to you. This is how gratitude is transformed into legacy, and how greatness becomes more than individual achievement — it becomes communal triumph.

As practical action, begin to look behind your own steps. Who has carried you when you could not stand? Who has offered wisdom, shelter, or love in your darkest hour? Give thanks to them directly — in word, in action, in remembrance. And then, take up the mantle of helper yourself: mentor the young, encourage the weary, strengthen the faltering. In this, you not only honor the past but ensure the future.

Thus, the words of Zach Ertz are not the mere reflection of an athlete’s gratitude but the eternal teaching of humanity: we rise together, never alone. Be thankful, honor those who walked with you, and then become the one who helps others along the way. This is the path of humility, of service, and of greatness that endures beyond the fleeting applause of any single moment.