GREAT FALLS, Mont. — For decades, Sparky and Diane Kottke have been the kind of people who show up without being asked. As educators and coaches, they shaped generations of students and athletes. As volunteers for rodeo and horse racing events in Great Falls, they gave countless hours behind the scenes. When friends faced hardship, the Kottkes quietly found ways to ease the burden.

On the final night of the 2026 Big Sky Pro Rodeo Roundup, the community turned the spotlight on them. Sparky and Diane were named recipients of the Rocky Heckman Perseverance, Character and Hope belt buckle, an annual award honoring the legacy of the late Great Falls rodeo advocate. The recognition comes as Diane undergoes treatment for metastatic stage 4 breast cancer, a battle she has faced with the same resilience she has shown others.

“When it first happened, I was overwhelmed,” Diane said. “But I have a great village, I have great friends. So I think you get through it like that.”

For Lorell Heckman, whose late husband Rocky inspired the award, choosing the Kottkes held deep meaning. When Rocky was fighting cancer, Sparky and Diane were among those who stepped in to help. They walked with Lorell in the mornings, giving her a friend to confide in. Sparky plowed her driveway, mowed her lawn, and handled tasks she was suddenly learning to manage alone.

“These two people just came alongside of us,” Lorell recalled. “They were amazing. They just stepped up, and it was a total indicator of what their whole life has been like — just how they give and they share and the friends that they are.”

The Kottkes never sought recognition for their acts of kindness. Sparky summed it up simply: “Character to me is always trying to be the best person you can be. And when people need help, you go out and give them a hand and not worry about if you're going to get anything back from that.”

Now, the couple finds themselves on the receiving end of support. Diane’s diagnosis came late last year after she noticed swelling in her left arm. The cancer returned years after she had undergone a double mastectomy. Since then, there have been encouraging scans and difficult ones. She continues chemotherapy and is scheduled for another scan in September.

Maintaining hope isn’t always easy. “I don't know if I do very well sometimes,” Diane admitted. “It's very frustrating.”

But the Kottkes haven’t faced the fight alone. Their children have traveled home for extended stays. Friends have brought meals and offered companionship. Former students and athletes Sparky coached decades ago have reached out to check on them.

“We don't have a village, we have a city,” Sparky said. “There's so many people out there that we get letters and cards from people that you don't even hardly remember that you've known in your past, and they're just wishing the best for her and giving her their prayers.”

For two people accustomed to helping others, accepting help has required adjustment. Sparky acknowledged they are still learning to say yes when someone offers assistance. At home, he has taken on new responsibilities while Diane undergoes treatment. Diane called him her rock.

That support was on full display during the rodeo’s final night. The Kottkes were brought into the arena as their story and contributions were shared with a packed grandstand. Then the crowd rose to its feet.

“Just knowing that the stands were packed,” Diane said, “I have never, ever seen anybody where there was a standing ovation for something like that. That really was truly inspiring.”

Sparky, usually composed, felt the emotion. “I usually don't get very teary, but I did that night,” he said. “It was truly an honor to be recognized by some very good friends.”

For Lorell, the qualities the award represents — perseverance, character, and hope — are exactly what she has seen in the Kottkes for years. “They never complain about anything,” she said. “They just do it with a sincere, grateful heart, and they are just encouragers.”

Years after Sparky and Diane quietly showed up for Lorell and Rocky during their family’s hardest days, Lorell wanted an arena full of people to recognize the Kottkes during theirs. “They just instill that hope and encouragement in everybody that they meet,” she said.

Previous recipients of the Rocky Heckman award include Dougie Hall (2019), Kayla LaSalle (2021), Rorrie Toren (2022), Wacee Simensen (2023), Hope Good (2024), and Jack and Rosann Johnson (2025). No rodeo was held in 2020.