If a doctor told you that you had just months to live, would you keep working at the station?

Back in September, FTVLive told you about WCIA (Champaign, IL) Anchor Dave Benton telling viewers that his brain cancer has returned and he only had 4-6 months to live.

Benton is still alive and living each day to the fullest and he's still working at WCIA.

“I’ve been fortunate not to have a lot of side effects so far,” he said. “I sleep a lot the week of treatment (on Tuesdays or Wednesdays every other week.)  By that Thursday or Friday, I’m exhausted.  I sleep all weekend long, and I kind of bounce of back.  What I appreciate is that I see a lot of people getting treatment when I’m getting my treatment, and some of them are facing challenges I can’t imagine.”

He said the latest round of treatment appears to have added a few months. Benton said he’s getting lots of support from the community, and served as an inspiration from others who are ill.

“I’ve (heard from) some people that it’s helped them tell their side, and the situation that they’re facing,” he said.  “It has helped them to be more positive and to look forward and be grateful for the god things we have at this moment.”

But he’s chosen to remain at work as long as possible, and live life as normal as possible.  

And there will be a permanent marker of that hard work.  Champaign County Crime Stoppers recently announced it would annually give out the ‘Dave Benton Crime Fighter Award’ for a citizen who exemplifies the crime-fighting spirit.

Benton has been a board member with Crime Stoppers, and hosted a series of special programs on WCIA aimed at solving crimes.

“Having been in television now, it will be 30 years in April, I guess I never thought there could be an award named in my honor,” he said.  “You want to go out and do go things, I know it’s important to be involved in the community, and I wanted to that and to it effectively, but it never led to be thinking, ‘gee, I should get an award, or there should be an award in my name.  So when they presented me with this idea, I literally was quite shocked that was even possible.   Why me?  There are a lot of people that do great things in this community, and they deserve a pat on the back.”

This guy has a awesome attitude.

H/T WUIS