http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/19/world/hero-of-the-year/

Rivers' garbageman named CNN Hero of the Year
By Kyle Almond, CNN
November 20, 2013 -- Updated 1408 GMT (2208 HKT)

(CNN) -- Chad Pregracke, an Illinois man who has dedicated his life to 
cleaning the Mississippi River and other U.S. waterways, was named the 
2013 CNN Hero of the Year on Tuesday night.

Pregracke organizes community cleanups across the country through his 
nonprofit, Living Lands & Waters. About 70,000 volunteers have pitched 
in, helping Pregracke collect more than 7 million pounds of trash in the 
past 15 years.

"The garbage got into the water one piece at a time," Pregracke said 
earlier this year. "And that's the only way it's going to come out."

Pregracke was recognized Tuesday night along with the rest of this 
year's top 10 CNN Heroes -- everyday people doing extraordinary things 
to help change the world. He was chosen as Hero of the Year through a 
five-week public vote on CNN.com.

"I'll just keep on cleaning up America's rivers and loving every minute 
of it," said Pregracke as he accepted the award Tuesday night.