IRENE, S.D. (KELO) -- A South Dakota school administrator is beating the odds and inspiring his students along the way. In August, Irene-Wakonda superintendent Dave Hutchison learned of a Leukemia diagnosis, but that didn't stop him from encouraging his community to 'Fight Like Hutch.' Hutchison was diagnosed with leukemia not long before the start of the school year. "When I found out about that, I just knew that school was not going to be how it was, and it was just going to be more bland. Him not walking past me in the morning saying, 'Good morning,' and just not walking by his office and not seeing him, I just knew that school was not going to be the same," Irene-Wakonda junior Rylee Nielson said. Hutchison was septic while he was initially being treated at Sanford. He eventually found himself at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, where he became septic again. "At that time, they got a hold of my family and said that I was not going to make it, that I was going to be dead," Hutchison said. But Hutchison pulled through. "Clearly, God thought he was going to give me a second chance, and he did," Hutchison said. The chemotherapy he received at UNMC left him weak as he started a cancer rehab program at Madonna in Omaha. "Just being laid up in the hospital for as long as he was and being as sick as he was, it did take a toll on his his functional mobility and physical strength," Madonna physical therapist Alex Eilers said. However, Hutchison was determined to get back to serving his students. "They challenged me. I even got in a little trouble for exhausting myself every day, but I had to do that because I wanted to get better as fast as I could," Hutchison said. "His independence was a very strong motivator for him. He did not like us helping him, so we were told a lot of times, 'Don't help me,' so that was definitely driven from his motivation," Eilers said. Even as he was battling what was probably the most difficult time of his life, Hutchison found a way to lift up others around him. "He was a great patient, motivated others to even in the gym. He would always see someone else, and he'd recognize them, say, 'You're doing great. You're doing so much better than you were a couple of days ago,'" Madonna occupational therapist Tyler Pribnow said. "I can't stress how important it is to have a great attitude and to believe because that just spreads to everybody else that's in the building," Hutchison said. Gift card advice from business, Jackley As he was fighting to return to work, he received plenty of support. Throughout the Irene-Wakonda community, the phrase 'Fight Like Hutch' was everywhere. NFL offensive lineman Brandon Scherff even wore cleats to support Hutchison during the NFL's My Cause My Cleats campaign. "Their response to my sickness was overwhelming. As far as the fundraisers and the letters from the elementary kids, and artwork, and texts from parents, and emails and phone calls. God actually did this for a reason," Hutchison said. Hutchison achieved his goal of walking out of Madonnna. Now, he is back at school working half days three days a week. "It's amazing. It's actually like crazy seeing how far he has come," Irene-Wakonda junior Gianna Logue said. Hutchison's willingness to fight has made an impact on both students and teachers. "He's been positive through a challenging situation, and I think there's a lesson in that for all of his kids and teachers," Irene-Wakonda English teacher Stacy Huber said. "He's so strong willed. He's honestly one of the strongest people I know," Irene-Wakona junior Savanna Hoxeng said. As he reflects on his journey, Hutchison is also thankful that his family was always by his side. "My family played a huge role in this. Also, one of my family members stayed with me every night in the hospital, besides the night that I got sepsis for the second time because they said I'd be good for the next day. Otherwise, someone who stayed with me in the hospital every night for about two months straight, and I can tell you that their their support also was was amazing," Hutchison said. Support that helped him beat the odds. "I'm a miracle. I was supposed to be dead, and right here, I'm sitting here with kids and being where I'm supposed to be," Hutchison said. Hutchison is currently in remission, but he will do a another round of chemotherapy. He will also undergo a bone marrow transplant at the end of January.