Gunnar Kaasen and Balto: A hero and his hero husky

Risked death to bring medicine to Alaska diphtheria victims

In 1925 when an outbreak of diphtheria gripped Nome Alaska in the dead of winter, a series of dog sled teams was organized to bring the medicine. Being the last leg in the trip, Gunnar and his team led by Balto set off in full blizzard conditions. The whole dog sled team was lifted into the air on one occasion and the serum thought lost until Gunnar found it in the snow. The blizzard was so bad Gunnar couldnt even see the dogs, trusting Balto to lead them in the right direction: which he did, at one point stopping them from falling into a crevasse. After a trip of 54 miles, the serum was delivered and the disease stopped. Balto was later celebrated as a hero and celebrated for years in the Cleveland Zoo where he lived out his life. A statue of Balto remains in New York and Anchorage Alaska to this day.

The brave Kassen and loyalty of Balto saved many lives in an age where the words “safety net” had no meaning. Valor is in you. Set it free.