Excerpts from the ChicagoTribune.com:
Fire stations in Western Springs are draped in purple bunting to mourn the death of Lt. Richard “Dick” Jacobson who died June 20 after a long battle with ALS. Jacobson, 58, was a paid on-call firefighter.
He was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2011. He was appointed to the fire department in 2005 and remained involved and on the active roster for the past 12 years.
Fire Chief Patrick J. Kenny said Jacobson, who also trained as a mechanical engineer and worked as a project manager, volunteered for the department after receiving a letter appealing for community members to join the force.
Kenny said Jacobson approached ALS with the courage of a true hero.
Jacobson was born in December 26, 1958. He grew up Highland Park and attended Deerfield High School where he met the girl who would become his wife, Kristen. The two didn’t start dating until after college. They both attended the University of Wisconsin Madison.
Kristen Jacobson said her husband loved firefighting for several reasons, including because it appealed to his natural sense of curiosity.
After being diagnosed with ALS, he became an advocate for research and education about the disease.
“He knew he couldn’t really fight it. But he educated others. He educated himself and he offered himself for clinical studies,” she said.
In addition to fundraising, he engaged with his doctors to learn about the illness.
In addition to his wife, Jacobson is survived by his children Rachel, Michelle, Arturo, and Andrew.
thanks Dan
