Читать книгу Racing Toward Recovery. The Extraordinary Story of Alaska Musher Mike Williams Sr. онлайн

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Mike Sr., now gray-haired, has competed in the Iditarod fifteen times, the last time in 2013. He may be retired, but rarely is that a sure thing with the Iditarod. At the least he is on a break from the demanding race, investing more effort into cheering for Mike Jr., who has put together a superior record in a short time.

A member of the Alaska Native Community and the National Congress of American Indians, Williams is the father of five children and grandfather of many, the number increasing annually.

The more time I spent talking with Mike Williams the more I enjoyed his company and gained respect for his efforts to improve the lives of those in rural Alaska who have suffered with alcoholism, a high suicide rate, below-standard plumbing and other infrastructure that most Americans take for granted. Although he was never a top contender for the Iditarod title, only once breaking into the top twenty, Williams was a fixture in the race, and a competitor whom everyone cheered.

Once, he was the only Yup'ik Eskimo musher, a symbol to all Natives around the state. Many years he carried those signatures, focusing attention on a troubling, seemingly intractable problem. Williams gained national attention, being profiled by CNN and Good Morning America. Sports Illustrated has taken note of his achievements. Fellow Iditarod competitors have voted him the most inspirational musher.