Oh sure, admire, look up to, want to be like, etc. - that's one thing.
Hero? That's something completely different, IMHO. I mean, if I'm going to get technical on it, this is the quick definition I found.
A hero is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or strength.
Trackers are NONE of that.
I just find that the term is thrown around so much that it loses its true meaning (sports figures, "celebs," and certainly not
bleeping YouTubers are NOT "heroes"). Given that, the mother probably DIDN'T misuse the word, unfortunately, and likely believes Tim to, indeed, be her kid's "hero."