All of Oswego knows that Dave Sackett, a former Oswego firefighter and paramedic who has been battling Multiple Sclerosis, is someone special.

Now everyone knows.

Sackett was recently honored by the National MS Society with the "Bold Walk MS Achievement Award" for his fundraising efforts.

The award, according to MS Society, “is given to an individual and team who stop at nothing to lead the movement through fundraising. This person or team has long standing success in their fundraising and continues to be a voice of Walk MS.”

Sackett, the captain of Team DaveBob, was diagnosed with primary progressive MS in August 2010.

There are two types of MS, Sackett explained. Ninety percent of people diagnosed with MS have “remitting and relapsing,” which is when there are symptoms that occur but go away with treatment, to come back again and go away again.

The other 10 percent are diagnosed with Primary Progressive, which is ongoing and results in permanent damage. Sackett is one of those 10 percent.

Sackett lives by his motto of “It is what it is, keep pushin' on,” and refused to let MS beat him. He continued to work for the OFPD as a paramedic until December 2011 when he physically could not do it anymore. He’s still working with his brotherhood, just in a different capacity at the Fire Prevention Bureau.

This first year Sackett did the MS Walk in 2011 his team raised $16,980 towards MS research. This past year Team DaveBob raised $23,000, making them the number 11 overall fundraising team.

“Without the dedication of our top fundraisers, team captains and volunteers we would have never been able to reach our $2.7 million goal this year,” said Walk MS Director Monica Eiden in a release. “Not only the dollars raised, but the increased awareness that our participants bring to MS research and resources statewide has a huge impact on the 20,000 individuals and family members affected by MS throughout Illinois.”

Walk MS is the rallying point of the movement to end multiple sclerosis and largest annual fundraiser of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Greater Illinois Chapter. Walk MS events take place on Sunday, May 5, at 11 official statewide sites and on Sunday, Sept. 8, in Peoria and Urbana. For more information or to register, visit walkmsillinois.org.

Last year, 12,000 walkers and volunteers participated at 13 official sites across Illinois.