Togo Story

Woke up in the middle of the night after a busy Monday... so just turned on my FB and saw this film recap trailer plus short reel... "Togo 2019". Well, I always have a love for the Huskies breed and a weird longing for the wild Alaska with its cold winter, beautiful and yet deadly nature. So I started to watch the reel upon seeing the dog sled run in the short intro.

As I finished the story... I was left in tears... Yes, I read and watch about The Serum Run of 1925 (also known as the Great Race of Mercy)... and the famous dog that named Balto which was commemorated as the statue in Central Park, New York. But now with this untold real story of the Togo dog who lead the race 5 times the distance more before passing onto Balto & his musher to finish the last lap... but the media only captured this dog to be the poster dog... Suddenly I felt that deep sense of mixed emotions within me.

How often the media or people in general always look and give honor to the one that shine in public than those that work behind the scenes to get things done? Those silent heroes hidden in our midst doing the manual tasks while those on top took all the credits?

Honestly, I didn't even know that this historic race was made up of 20 mushers and about 150 sled dogs across 674 miles (1,085 km) in 5+1⁄2 days, saving the small town of Nome and the surrounding communities from a developing epidemic of diphtheria. Those other nameless mushers and their dogs also deserved much credits too! It is great that his owner Leonhard Seppala eventually shared his testimony so we get to know the real hardworking dog in this whole race.

I went to search for more information by goggling... and saw this:

In the last years of his life, Seppala was heartbroken by the way the credit had gone to Balto; in his mind, Togo was the real hero of the serum race. According to the National Park Service, in 1960 Seppala said: I never had a better dog than Togo. His stamina, loyalty, and intelligence could not be improved upon. Togo was the best dog that ever traveled the Alaska trail.

Katy Steinmetz, writing in Time magazine, also thought that Togo was the greatest sled dog of all time. In the serum run, she wrote, Togo was the real hero: ... the dog that often gets credit for eventually saving the town is Balto, but he just happened to run the last, 55 miles [89 km] leg in the race. The sled dog who did the lion's share of the work was Togo. His journey, fraught with white-out storms, was the longest by 200 miles [320 km] and included a traverse across perilous Norton Sound – where he saved his team and driver in a courageous swim through ice floes.

From the movie and historical fact, Togo was 12, an old dog in term of service when he embarked on this dangerous Race. It hits me hard... because again... this is the 2nd time I was reminded of the '12th year'... I have been sick for 12 years... and I asked my GOD if I still have any purpose as my health care team also deemed me 'nearing the end'. I have informed my health team that I no longer want to live out a life relying on medications and endless surgeries just to prolong my life. I want to just get back to serving in my church and to minister to people... something I always love.

Everyone must be thinking I am nuts... I was even chided by my new nurse manager that I don't cherish their efforts to keep me alive... as they think I am being non compliant to their instructions to take my mediations or to listen to the doctors to do more surgeries. But I hated being in a zombie trance like state unable to be effective in my focus or do anything much under medications with so much side effects. So again, I went off my meds for a week or so now.

My attempts to get back into my homie church to serve was met with coldness... like they are trying to figure me out thinking I am not good enough... they keep pushing me away... telling me to go join the Senior church where the sick, dying or without much mental cognitive capacity (dementa) in wheelchairs are... Come on... the Senior church are using the old Chinese dialects to preach very simple bible verses, what am I doing there when I was trained in the English congregation??? I am sick but not senile. I just feel they think I am a burden to them so they are pushing me or just ignoring me when I asked to serve.

My current situation back to my Homie church is just like Togo in his beginning as a sickly pup... even his owner try to get rid of him few times, thinking this is a problematic dog with no future in dog sled business. But I keep pushing hard... saving up my precious money to give to the church for tithing and offerings so these money can go to help the church plan for outreaches to help more people in needs... I also tightening my belt and putting aside money to hire expensive rides just to go to cell group bible meetings or services. Most of my other friends told me why am I wasting money... but I longed to be near to my Owner/my Creator GOD in HIS Dwelling/church. I'm like that TOGO in spirit... very persistent in wanting to get to my goals to shine for HIM.

In the Togo movie, that part when Togo was finally being acknowledged as 'not just a sled dog, but a lead dog!" by his Owner made me tears... well, maybe now everyone else looks down on me, a terminally ill person sitting in a wheelchair, what can she do anyway... I know deep inside, my GOD is preparing me for something more... a more purposeful future that gotten leave behind a legacy just like Togo did.

People said I left an deep impression in everyone whenever I used to be invited to share in the community... I have people that said I am like the beam of lights whenever I entered a room. Because in all the doom and gloom in this inflation, wars & disasters filled world... my resilience and joyful smile, my determination to overcome my extraordinary daily challenges brought hope to many whom crossed my path. Many have asked me to write my story down, as will inspire others too.

Thus yesterday's discussion with my social workers, we are going to start on that next month. I will think how to do it while they give me more ideas when we meet again. Meanwhile, this coming Sat I will be invited to a local award nite, as I was part of the finalists for the 5 different community awards. Honestly, other contestants have more networks to tap on for their marketing and sharing of their accomplishments... some are even CEO of the charities they started. Who am I, just a retiree due to health issues... helping others that cross my path all my life in the little ways I know.

I don't have the confidence of being the awardee in the category they put me in, seeing all the other contestants with much more popularity from the FB likes they gotten. But my therapist reminded me, where will a caregiver like me being stuck all day in a non lift level unit get to go out and mingle like the other contestants to get votes? These people have staff working for them to get votes too while I am just a simple person doing all the good deeds in silence all these decades. I was a bit nervous to the point of thinking if I should just informed the organizers that I withdrawn from the contest... cause I was wondering if my church mates were thinking I am being worldly to get FAME for my charitable works? But I was nominated by others. I even shared my link with them but no one in my church supported me as I can see from the likes in the FB.

My Christian therapist from the secular world also told me, it's okay. Just go and enjoy the award nite dinner. She smiled and said, you never know what GOD might has in store for you. Many times, those faithful in the little things...those deemed the underdogs like the scrawny thin young David vs the strong Giant Goliath... GOD will give the HONOR when in due time.

I didn't want to share what the contest title is... as SG is very small and you smart people might goggle and find my true identity... hahahaha... but do keep me in your prayers that I don't have last minute juggles like The runaway bride movie.. lol... I'm trying to calm my nerves and go for this event... and also telling myself, winning or losing is not important... at least my charitable works can be heard and leave as a legacy to encourage others to do more for the community we live in too, making this world a better place for everyone.

I'm gotten have the courageous spirit of TOGO... never give up!!! And yes, I still have the mischievous playful daredevil spirit hidden somewhere inside too. I can be quite the nottie one just to get my way with people I love... the way Togo did all the time! Haha! #ImpishMe