Nick Andros is in the midst of what is a common experience in his life when he is first introduced in The Stand: being tortured by assholes because he is a deaf mute.
With the help of the local sheriff, he is able to incarcerate those that attacked him – but even when they are locked up and he has a chance to leave them to die he refuses – following his moral code and caring for them the best he can, even when they start showing clear symptoms of the super flu.
This instantly earns the character great sympathy from the reader, but what ultimately forces you to really respect him unfolds shortly thereafter and is a must to include in the new miniseries.