HUMAN

Name: Michael Walker

Age: 54

Residence: Dewey, Arizona
Occupation: Veterinarian

Years involved with Iditarod: 15 years.

Iditarod Role: Trail vet
Current Location: Cripple, Alaska

Date of Photo: March 12, 2020
Temperature: 0F/Outdoors

What, who or how and when did you first get involved with the Iditarod?

I got involved with the Iditarod, I had friends that lived up here in Juneau, and kept me asking me, or telling me, I should get involved. So my family was up here vacationing, stopped in Willow and just started asking questions, and happened to run into Stu Nelson, the head vet, and talked to him a little while and went ahead and put in an application right then, and lo and behold, I got accepted and was here the next year.

What is your Why?..Why are you here today and involved in Iditarod?

I’m here today and involved with Iditarod because this is just a great getaway from what I do every day in life and practice and everything, and the draw of Alaska has always been in my heart here. And this is just a way to experience and still do what I love, taking care of the pets and the dogs, and not deal with everything else back in real life for the most part. It’s just been an awesome experience, and every year is different, and every year is just another bit of fun.

Tell me about just one of your most memorable Iditarod experiences?

One of my most memorable Iditarod experiences, there’s been so many, but over the years, I just enjoy seeing the whole state, and just everywhere around here. That particular year, we restarted in Fairbanks, and I ended up basically with the pilots flying from Fairbanks almost all the way to Nome at the time, and it was just a wonderful, long, beautiful flight, and it just always sticks out in my mind.

What do you know for sure?:

What I know for sure in life, we’re here on this earth for a short period of time, we’re here to do good and basically, my faith in God and where we’re going in the afterlife, and it’s just pleasure knowing that I have an everlasting life.