Honesty and honor are the same. An honest heart fears no danger from any Earthly source. Ben Crawford is a Hero, a role model, protector, and soldier. The young good-looking father we see in Secrets and Lies, exemplifies the elements of innocents through his colossal desire for truth and justice. Ben wants to find the truth so desperately that he never considers the dangers that his quest may cause him to endure. He has an idealistic view of the World, where no oppression or tyranny exists, he focuses only on the love and virtue that is in his heart. After losing his son, Ben realizes that the World is not a safe and secure as he believed it to be, and takes personal responsibility for the loss of freedom and justice of this young soul. Secrets and Lies is known for its thrilling and mysterious journey of heroism and justice through daring displays of bravery, as Ben Crawford tracks down the killer of his son, saves a boy from drowning, and prevents a woman from being a victim of domestic violence. Ben’s heroism stems from his compassion and empathy towards others. Although Ben Crawford can be aggressive and controlling, he is also sensitive and possess a great deal of intuition. As a far, husband, and community leader, Ben is more attuned to the emotions of others than anyone else in the mini-series; he is a people person, and that is why he has a successful business as a painter. Ben takes pride in his family and in the houses he turns from a blank canvas into a lively work of beauty.

Ben Crawford gets to know people in his community, and treats them all like equals, gets no know their names no matter how young they are or what cultural background they come from, when others could care less.  When Tom Murphy is alive and Ben has no idea of his connection to the boy, Tom expresses how he misses his father and how his father is never home, Ben comforts the boy by telling him, “I would be proud to be your father and would never leave your side, and I am sure your father feels the same way.” A man can be honest in any sort of skin. As there are virtues which are their own reward, so there are vices which are amply their own punishment. Ben Crawford is the only one in the community to welcome his African-American neighbors, take in his poor homeless friend, and show concern for the youth. Everyone else in the community seems to ignore marginalized members of the human population, as they are too busy with their own lives and or work. Ben understands that others feel pain, and have thoughts and ideas and concerns that are required to be expressed, yet they are discounted. Ben, on the other hand, treats the poor like family, this is displayed when he allows his best friend, Dave, to stay in the guest house and provides him with food, and does not charge him a dime. Ben shows us all that he understands the value of life and empathy, even when those lives are not deemed important by the rest of society.

Ben Crawford’s wife, Christy Crawford, is a strong character. She represents the virgin Mary, a being of purity and youthful innocence, as indicated by her focus on work, family, and rebuffing Ben’s sexual advances. However, Christy is also power-driven domineering young lady. She spends most of her time working and managing the family, and takes on the role of the sole provider of the household and also becomes a defender of her husband by providing him with legal assistance, and tries to protect him as she can see that people take advantage of his compassion. Christy has a tough decision to make, very early in their marriage, which leads to a rift in their relationship, but what she did was to protect her home and lifestyle. Christy is a diplomat and a role model for women’s rights. She is a crucial figure in this series. Ben ultimately, a married man, becomes a loner who stumbles into the oversized responsibility of taking care of an investigation to ensure justice and his survival. Ben is wise, he is young, and he is a real man. He offers others advice, guidance, and encouragement, which makes him someone we admire, look up to, and can relate to. He is a protector, provider, and a problem solver, offering advice and being highly empathetic to those emotions of those around him. Ben Crawford becomes the type of father and husband everyone wants once they understand his motivations. The journey for justices brings out his hidden qualities. Ben recognizes the glimmer of light in each and every person.   Attention, love, admiration, cannot be always kept at the stretch.