The Dog Who Saved Alaska Town: Balto

In January 1925, the town of Nome, Alaska, faced a terrible diphtheria epidemic. In the small town of 1,400 people, 7 people died, 19 people fell ill and 150 people were at risk of becoming infected.

But just at this moment, the dog Balto stepped in and to the salvation of the town He led…

Hey, how did it all start?

Diphtheria, especially among children It was a fatal disease. In 1921, more than 15,000 people died from this disease in America alone.

The isolated town of Nome suffered from this disease. He did not have the means to treat and winter conditions made travel almost impossible.

The closest train station to Nome Nenana was approximately 1,126 km away. The only solution was to start a time race.

In this race, 20 sledders and 150 dogs competed among stormy winds and fragile ice. Sledders divide the journey into stages few weeks trip They completed it in just over 5 days.

Balto stood out as the hero in the race.

The town’s need for medicine right in the middle of winter at its hardest time appeared. In these challenging conditions, the sledders pooled their resources and created an inspired plan. They aimed to quickly deliver the diphtheria antitoxin to Nome by dividing the journey into several stages.

In the last leg of the serum run, Balto finds himself in harsh conditions and down to -40 degrees He bravely navigated the weather conditions.

Across America, Balto has become a popular name. On December 17, 1925, just 10 months after the serum run in New York He was honored with a statue in Central Park. It is still possible to see Balto’s statue today.

In addition to his statue in New York in 1995 It has also been the subject of children’s movies. While children were cheering on the brave Siberian Husky from their televisions, the real Balto had long since passed away.

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