Balto

My hero is Balto. Balto was a sled dog at the Serum Run. He was born in 1919 ( nobody knows the exact date.) He died on March 14, 1933 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Serum Run started in Anchorage, Alaska 1924-1925.

There were no records of his early life. Kaasen the man that owned Balto was a musher. Balto was average size and had no parents. Balto was in a movie at Hollywood. After the race Kaasen sold him to a clown who chained Balto up for two years. People only had to pay a dime to see Balto. Balto faced the worst blizzard during the race.

Balto never led a team until the Serum Run. It was dark 24 hours a day and he had to lead them in the dark. At the last leg of the journey it was 50 below zero and 50 mph winds. He led them for 20 miles. When they got to Nome, Alaska, the dogs couldn't stand. People were dying of diphtheria (a really bad disease back then) so he risked his life.

He completed delivering Serum. When Kaasen gave up he just let go of the rope and let Balto lead the way. He followed the trail and then they were at Nome. He saved thousands of people from diphtheria. He accomplished delivering Serum to everyone in Nome through the worst blizzard in years. Balto is my hero because he risked his life for others.

They did the Serum Run in 1924-1925 because they didn't have: helicopters, boats, snowmobiles, and it was a rare medicine. Now they have the Serum in Nome and still do the run, but for fun.