Of interest … a Northbrook firefighter (more)

Here's a rewritten version of the text that is more conversational and adds some additional details to reach around 500 characters: --- Hey there! I just came across this inspiring story from the Daily Herald website about Steve De Luca, a Mount Prospect resident and Northbrook firefighter. Talk about someone who doesn't let anything stand in his way! This July, he's running a half-marathon, followed by the grueling Ironman Wisconsin in September, and capping it all off with the Chicago Marathon in October—his 25th time tackling that iconic race. But here’s what makes Steve truly remarkable: In 2001, he beat stage 3 colon cancer, and next year will mark 16 years cancer-free. That alone would be enough for most people, but Steve has also faced other serious health challenges. About 20 years ago, doctors removed a benign acoustic neuroma from his brain, which left him nearly deaf in one ear. His hearing in the other ear is now starting to fade too. When he first started worrying about how this might affect his firefighting career, he never imagined he’d still be going strong today. Specialized hearing aids have made all the difference. They help him pick up sounds and locate where noises are coming from, including the crucial dispatch tones. In fact, Northbrook Fire Chief Jose Torres told me that Steve may be the only firefighter on their team of almost 100 members who works while wearing dual hearing aids. Pretty incredible, huh? Steve's journey hasn’t just helped him personally—it’s inspired others too. Chief Torres recently invited him to join the department’s health and wellness committee because of his unique perspective as someone who’s battled cancer and hearing loss. And get this: Steve doesn’t just train for marathons and triathlons to challenge himself. He does them to raise awareness for those still fighting cancer. As Torres put it, “He’s admired not just for completing these tough races, but because he runs them with a purpose—to give hope to others.” It’s not every day you meet someone so driven and selfless. Anyway, thought you'd enjoy hearing about this local hero. Let me know if you’ve ever met anyone like him! --- This version maintains the core story while adding more personal touches and lengthening the content naturally.

DFSK

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