The Salvation Army D.J.’s Hero Awards Program is named in memory of D.J. Sokol, who lost his battle with cancer in 1999 at age 18.  His parents, David and Peggy Sokol, established the program to honor the achievements of outstanding Nebraska high school seniors who overcome adversity and show outstanding leadership qualities in their communities.  Every year, a new group of recipients is presented with $12,000 D.J.'s Hero Awards scholarships during the Hero Awards Luncheon, which is held in Omaha.  More than two decades after the founding of the program, D.J.’s legacy lives on in the scholarship recipients—all of whom demonstrate his trademark resilience, kindness, and generosity.