Of interest … a Northbrook firefighter (more)

Here’s an excerpt from my notes on some inspiring stories I’ve come across recently:

I read about Steve De Luca, a Mount Prospect resident and Northbrook firefighter who has an incredible fitness goal lined up for this year. In July, he plans to run a half-marathon, followed by the Ironman Wisconsin in September, and then the Chicago Marathon in October—his 25th time running it. But what really struck me wasn’t just his athletic ambition; it was the journey he’s been through to get here.

Around 2001, Steve was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. Fast forward to today, and he’s celebrating nearly 16 years of being cancer-free—a testament to his resilience. And that’s not all. Back in the early '90s, he underwent surgery to remove an acoustic neuroma, a benign brain tumor that left him almost completely deaf in his left ear. Now, his hearing in his right ear is also starting to fade. Despite all this, he hasn’t let his health challenges stop him from doing what he loves most—fighting fires.

Steve works as a firefighter apparatus engineer for Northbrook, where he’s been serving for 26 years. When he first started losing his hearing, he feared it might end his career. But thanks to advanced hearing aids that help him localize sounds and recognize emergency dispatch tones, he’s managed to stay on the job. As Northbrook Fire Chief Jose Torres put it, Steve is likely the only firefighter in their nearly 100-person department to serve with dual hearing aids. That’s pretty impressive!

Steve’s story has made him something of a role model within the department. Chief Torres even invited him to join the health and wellness committee earlier this year because of his unique perspective. You see, despite everything he’s been through, Steve doesn’t do these endurance events for himself—he does them for others. He wants to inspire people who are still fighting illnesses like cancer. His fellow firefighters admire him not just for his physical feats but also for his unwavering motivation to keep pushing forward, even when life throws curveballs at you.

And there’s more to his mission than just personal achievement. Steve is also passionate about improving safety gear for firefighters. Even though every firefighter uses breathing apparatus during emergencies, they sometimes have to return later for clean-up efforts, exposing themselves to harmful toxins and gases. Steve advocates strongly for better monitoring systems that can measure air quality in dangerous environments. It’s clear that beyond his athletic pursuits, he’s deeply committed to making firefighting safer for everyone.

It’s amazing how someone who’s faced so many obstacles can turn their struggles into such powerful motivators for others. If anything, Steve De Luca’s story reminds us that no matter what life throws our way, we always have the power to rise above it if we stay determined.

Thanks for sharing this story with me, Dan—it’s definitely worth remembering.

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