When we say that dogs make our life better, we truly mean it. Dogs bring an abundance of joy into our lives with their adorable and quirky personalities. You often look at the dog as a pet and companion. However, have you ever thought that a dog could save human lives too? Sounds unbelievable, right? Well, when you hear about the story of Balto, who lead the team during the harsh winters of Alaska just to save numerous human lives. Today, we are sharing the heart touching story of Balto, which will restore your faith in animals and their dedication.
Balto – A True Hero
It started in early January of the year 1925 when the doctors and researchers started to see manifestations of a fatal infection, diphtheria. Thankfully, there existed a lifesaving serum, which was 500 miles away. Amidst the harsh winters of Alaska where temperatures easily drop down to 50, it was almost impossible to make a journey. Due to that, planes weren’t able to fly to the destination, and the only way was to get the serum through a 650-mile freight route. So, the experts chose to get the medicine via various dog sled teams.
The serum was to be transported from Anchorage to Nenana by train, where the first musher commenced to deliver the serum to Nome. In this journey, there were more than 20 mushers, who were determined in their goal and faced many challenges including a blizzard with -31 celsius temperature along with strong winds.
On February 2, 1925, the Norwegian Gunnar Kaasen drove his team, which was led by none other than Balto. Although the most dangerous stretch was covered by a dog team led by Togo, Balto proved himself despite facing many challenges along the way. He also saved his team in the Topkok River and stayed on the trail even during a complete whiteout situation. Kaasen has also mentioned that he wasn’t able to see his hand properly, and yet Balto stayed right on track through the dark path. When they arrived in Nome, everyone was congratulating Kaasen for successfully bringing the serum, but he insisted that Balto was equally responsible for this success.
Soon after the mission ended, Balto and Kaasen became the talk of the town. Everyone wanted to meet the dog who was a part of this mission that saved so many lives. In fact, Frederick Roth sculpted a statue of Balto, which stands in New York City’s Central Park which is still visited by many students and tourists.
Balto died in the year 1933 at the age of 14, and even to this day, people remember him for his unwavering courage and determination.
Stories like these show us how valuable these animals are to the human race. We often believe that as humans, we are capable of everything, but that’s not entirely true. Every life has a meaning, and even a dog’s life is as important as humans are. If it wasn’t for Balto, the mission wouldn’t have been completed in that time frame. Therefore, as humans, we should always appreciate and look after animals and birds as we all are codependent on each other.
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