HUMAN

Name: Rebecca Lawson

Age: 69
Residence: Rock Hill, South Carolina
Occupation: Retired teacher
Years involved with Iditarod: 3
Current Location: Lakefront Hotel, Anchorage, Alaska. 
Date of Photo: March 17, 2020
Temperature: 28F/Outdoors

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

I got involved with the Iditarod back in the 1990s when my students and I started following the race. That was back in the days when there was hardly any internet at all. I can remember staying at school until seven o’clock at night just to see a shadow of Jeff King coming in to win. We just had a great time. I used that project with the students doing internet research and doing presentations to the class and following their mushers for many years.

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

I’m here today and involved with the Iditarod because I always dreamed of getting to come to Alaska and work with the Iditarod. It was at the top of my bucket list. When my mom passed away in 2017, I said, “I will never be any more healthy. I will never have any more money, so why not come.” And now I have so many friends here, I just can’t stay away.

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

My most memorable experience with the Iditarod happened last year in Nome when Lance Mackey was coming in to the chute. We had all been so afraid that Lance wouldn’t make it and were so happy. Everybody on the street was so happy that Lance was making it. But what makes it really memorable is that he was traveling with Jesse Holmes. Jesse was in front, but just as Jesse got to the chute, he pulled over to the side to let Lance go first. And it was a crying moment.

What do you know for sure?:

What I know for sure in life is that folks who live in Alaska have a great life, but they have to be really tough people to make sure that they can just survive, and I really respect that.