DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Mike Burkham has dedicated his life to the Decatur Ambulance Service, which is why he was awarded the Beyond the Siren honor for November.

Mike Burkham has grown up with DAS. His parents started the service in 1959. He was born soon after his parents started the business.

Burkham shared he grew up around the ambulance and while he tried to steer from being a paramedic, he was destined to work for DAS.

"It's kind of like being a farmer. You know you're just born into it and that's all you know how to do and it's what you do," Burkham said. 

It's a passion he told WAND News he was never able to step away from. Now he's working as the director for the service.

However, he credited his success and the success of DAS to the team he's worked with for years.

"I'm going to say this right up front, I am not where I am because of me. I'm where I'm at because of my team," Burkham said. 

Burkham has a strong team at home. In June 2009, Tyler Yount lost his battle with addiction. He was 23 years old when he died of an accidental overdose.

It was three years after his death when his mom Kathy, Burkham and son Jeremy started the Tyler Yount Foundation.

"Grief is pretty draining and if you can turn that around and turn your grief into energy," Burkham said. 

In 2015, the Tyler Yount Foundation received certification for a Narcan program. Burkham said they've been able to train 500 law enforcement officers and community members on how to administer the treatment.

"We don't give up on people, ever," Burkham said. 

Burkham said his wife, Kathy, is always working with clients and on the foundation. To learn more about the Tyler Yount Foundation, click here.