That man was Captain Fernando Salgueiro Maia and this is his story. Of the child, the youngster, the man, the military and the historical figure that changed the course of Portugal. A simple and faithful man, who took two courses at the Military Academy and became a born leader, respected both by his subordinates and by his superiors, by friends and enemies, and who, although remembered as a hero, was never recognized in life by the state he helped to create. A hero, yes. But also an anti-hero who, due to his modest and correct attitude, always faithful to his mission and his Weapon, ended up being overtaken by the political and strategic wars of the new Democracy. Maia is an unlikely historical figure. A young face of the change that the 25th of April 1974 brought to Portugal. Always doing his duty, he found it difficult to see himself as a hero of the Revolution, but he never denied the crucial role he played on April 25th. The same cannot be said of those who took the country to build Democracy. They reacted to his lack of political alignment and his righteousness, with suspicion and caused him hurt and a feeling of injustice that accompanied him to the end. Loved, feared, hated and healed by those who saw him as a threat, Salgueiro Maia was always a frontal and fearless person. He was a Portuguese, military and exemplary citizen.