In the dead of winter, 1925, Nome, Alaska, was on the brink. A deadly diphtheria outbreak threatened to decimate the town, and the only thing standing between life and death was a vial of antitoxin serum.
But with the port frozen solid and no planes in sight, the serum was stuck 674 miles away in Nenana. Enter the unsung hero: Togo, a Siberian Husky with a heart as big as Alaska itself.
While most folks remember Balto for leading the final stretch into Nome, it was Togo who did the heavy lifting. At 12 years old, he wasn’t exactly a spring chicken, but that didn’t stop him.
Togo and his musher, Leonhard Seppala, embarked on a grueling 170-mile journey through blizzards, freezing temperatures, and treacherous ice. They even had to cross the perilous Norton Sound, where Togo saved the day by pulling their sled to safety after it got stuck on an ice floe.
After three days of relentless effort, Togo and Seppala met up with another team carrying the serum. They handed off the precious cargo, and the relay continued. Eventually, Balto and his team completed the final leg into Nome, arriving on February 2, 1925. The town erupted in celebration, but the real credit should have gone to Togo, the true hero who made it all possible.
Togo was once considered a bit of a troublemaker when he was young. Too bold and rowdy, and nearly given away. But his determination to return to his team showed his true spirit. Leonhard Seppala, Togo’s owner, saw his potential and kept him. Togo’s bravery and smart decisions saved his team many times. He proved that he was not just any sled dog but a natural-born leader.
Today, Togo’s legacy lives on. His mounted body is displayed at the Iditarod Race Headquarters in Wasilla, Alaska, honoring his incredible contribution to the survival of Nome. So, the next time you hear about the serum run, remember the name Togo. He was the real MVP who saved a town and became a legend in the process.
