Thank you again for your messages and love.
Aliy is now home at the kennel and is resting. She has more Doctor appointments set in the next little while but she is being well taken care of. She appreciates all the love being sent her way. Thank you for giving her time and space to heal.
The Iditarod race officials have been keeping us up to date with the dogs’ progress home. As I understand it they were flown to the checkpoint hub of McGrath today and get to hang out with the vets and volunteers there overnight before catching a flight back to Anchorage hopefully tomorrow. There is plenty of food and supplies for them and they are receiving excellent care. Karolyn and Mark will drive the dog truck down to meet them and bring them home.
Well, this is certainly not the ending we were hoping for, but it’s the ending we have. As Aliy said in her Open Letter –
We each have battles we’re fighting. We all face difficult challenges. And it’s at the point where it all seems too much, when the fight seems impossible to win, that we inevitably ask, “Do I have what it takes to do this?”
The answer is yes. Yes, you do. No matter how dark and cold your trail may seem. The only way to finish the race you’re in is to simply not quit. So after finishing 30,000 miles of sled dog races, that’s my parting advice:
Keep moving forward.
Aliy will keep moving forward.
We love you Aliy.
We love you Aliy!
The Iditarod won’t be the same without you, Aliy.
Thank you for so many strong years of mushing and racing – you’ve impacted so many people in wonderful ways! Your legacy that will live on through your dogs and all of the lives you’ve touched. The universe decided the race was over – now it’s on to your next chapter. We will continue to follow your updates and see where you take the world next. We’re sending love and joy from Colorado and lots of power to heal well!
Love you Aliy. Please take the time to heal & recover. You are absolutely a outstanding,amazing, awesome woman.
So not fair but I know Aliy will show us all how to do this with grace and determination. God speed on your next adventure with quick healing in the process.
Best wishes for speedy healing, mentally and physically, A lit.
We pray that you heal quickly and completely. Your big smile and forever optimism will be sincerely missed by all Iditarod followers. Hope your dogs are home with you soon. =Florence, Oregon
Aliy, thinking of you & praying for your quick recovery both physically and emotionally. As always, you’ll pull through the challenges with your usual can-do attitude. You have many people surrounding you with love and have Allen as your rock! Sending you big gentle hugs & love!
Aliy
Oh my gosh! What an unbelievable ending! Maybe not the ending we all hoped for but it’s what we were handed. We will make the best of it!
Hope you grow stronger every day and can feel the love that thousands of fans are sending your way!
I’ve followed your Iditarod adventures for years and years…was already a follower when I switched mail routes in Sparta Mi many years ago and realized I had a Zirkle on my route. I thought no way these people can be related to “my Aliy”. Turns out your Mom and Dad lived there for awhile! Your Mom left me a card with info about skunks place kennel. I was thrilled!
….just a silly little connection in the expansive universe…..🙂
Good luck! Stay safe! Know that your many fans are thinking about you as you recover and wish you the best of everything as you retire.
Thank you for being the beautiful person you are!
Thanks for the years, the memories and the smiles you’ve always provided. We hope you heal quickly, prayers to you and your family from me and my family.
I hope you heal rapidly. I’ll be saying a bunch of prayers for you. So sorry you got hurt. I will miss seeing you on the trail. 🐾🥰 I really hope you enjoy your retirement, you deserve it.
I’m thankful Aliy is home. It might not be where she planned to be at this time, but we can all hope she is resting “a bit” and healing safely now. My thoughts and prayers have been with her all day.
Now I’m praying her four footed teammates make speedy safe flights back HOME.
Thank you Moira for being the buffer that keeps us all informed so Aliy can focus on herself.
We love you Aliy!
Aliy, you’ve got this! We are all cheering for you. Heal well. Take all the time you need. You’re the best. Good luck.
We are very very concerned for you here and pouring our mental energy and love for you into your having an easy and rapid recovery. Know that we are thinking about you, wishing you our best and sending our love.
Aliy, we are praying for a speedy recovery for you. Take the time to heal it is important.
So very thankful the dogs are okay. I am certain you can’t wait to be reunited with them.
Take care
Phew….HOME…..best place to heal. Excellent news of the dogs making their way back too….in very good hands! It’s true it’s not the ending we were expecting….it’s just a different ending and as always Aliy endured. She made it to that checkpoint…heck…us watching the tracker didn’t even see her miss a beat. It’s all good….home is a healing place, and soon the Team will be there too. Love you Aliy!!
Such good news that Aliy is home! That’s truly the best place to be to heal! Rest well, heal well Aliy.
I have been traveling and although I tried to post earlier, the flood of responses and well-wishes (and maybe slow internet) dumped me to the 505 page not found ending.
Life is precious. Aliy is alive and that is the most important thing to me – bottom line. Do I feel disappointed – not nearly as much as I am sure Aliy does, but sure – heart broken n more like.
And I appreciated the update on the dogs. Like everyone else, I fretted about them being left in Rohn without their beloved Aliy – knowing definitely something was very wrong.
Aliy, you have had at three traumatic experiences on the Iditarod trail and maybe they define the most traumatic of your life – I don’t know. But I do feel, more than know, that the universe lets up after laying it on a bit too thick. This is the last of it. I feel it in my bones.
best wishes to you, Allen, Bridget, Kaz, and grandchildren for the next chapter in your wonderful life.
Heal soon, Aliy!! I will miss seeing you race this year!! I was wishing for a wonderful race for you, and am sad it had to end like this. I know you will come through as you have before and show us all what willpower and determination really is. Thank you for all you’ve done for me, Aliy. You are the most inspiring person I’ve ever known!! I’ll miss you!!
Also, Aliy I thought you’d like to know that my phone wallpaper is currently one of the photos of you and your team on Aliyslastgreatrace.com!
Aily is an incredible example of courage, perseverence, dedication, committment, strength, kindness and compassion for the sport, for the dogs and for people. I have watched her for years and I can say this with confidence. When she announced retirement I knew the race wouldn’t be the same and it made me sad but happy for her. We just get a taste of the race without her a bit early. I am sorry for the challenge she is going through but I believe God has a journey planned for her in the future that He is preparing her for and she will overcome and be all she needs to be in the future. Thank you for the years you served all of us so faithfully!! Heal, rest and God Bless!
We are SO glad to hear that Aliy is back home. We will continue to pray for her speedy recovery. She is our hero !!!
Home and healing. The 2 best things you can hope for. Doggies are safe and will join you soon. Heal up and know we’re all still with you Aliy.
I was so impressed to hear that you drove your team the 5 miles into Rohn rather than stop, despite your serious injuries. Your commitment to your dogs’ welfare is both obvious and admirable.
I hope your injuries don’t have permanent impacts and you heal quickly.
Who knows, perhaps in a couple of years you’ll decide to go again.
Whatever you do, know you’re a shining example of the best this sport has to offer.
Best Wishes,
Elena
Forward forever Backwards never
Nice to hear you are home and healing. Please take your time as us fans love you racing or not!
The dogs will be so glad to see you! Thank you for the ride and future!
You can do it
Each year, one of my students select you as their musher. We are located in Iowa. My students get to select their musher to follow on the trail. You have been a classroom favorite for years. We want to wish you a speedy recovery! My kiddos were pretty excited to find out that your dogs get to ride in an airplane to get back home to you.
I’m so sorry to hear about the accident, but SO GLAD YOU’RE DOING BETTER. I hope you heal quickly and are not in pain. Looks like the dogs will be home with you soon. Keep smiling, “This too shall pass!” Get well soon, there are a lot of people in your corner.
A wonderful gracious competitor
Best wishes for the future
Aily is a prime example of what we wish the humankind would be like. She had demonstrated it over and over in her mushing career. Truly a person to elmira and try to emulate. I am happy to hear she is recovering well and the dogs are well taken care of also. I am well aware of all the risks a musher faces on the trail, but would still like to know exactly what happened to Aliy this time. She has seen everything, what caught her this time? I am sure all her fans also are very interested. Could you please give us some information about this accident. Thank you kindly.
You are one of the nicest, kindest people I ever met. Thank you for taking care of you.
Moving forward no matter what. Works for me too.
All my love,
Margaret
Love to Aliy and precious hugs for the doggies not ending we wanted but as you say just keep moving forward …. of course at a restful healing pace.
Best wishes love from Joanne and Denali , Melbourne, Australia.
I can’t put into words how much your strength, dedication, determination, and care have been a model on how to live a life. Thank you for showing us this with your words and actions. Blessing to you and your family as you heal and start this new chapter in your life.
My class of 50 6th grades and I were so sad to hear the news yesterday. I have loved, loved, loved following you in the race for the past 20 years. You have always been my favorite, and I’m so appreciative of all you do for education. I won a grant this year and will be coming to Alaska this summer and for the race next year. I would love to visit the kennel! Best of luck and enjoy your retirement! I would also love to adopt one of your retired sled dogs as a pet. I have two rescues right now that would love another sister or brother to add to our pack!
Aliy,
So sorry to hear about your injuries, Hope you get well soon. I meet you several years ago at the Mushers banquet and you are such a wonderful person. Good luck with your retirement.
My wife and I are sorry to hear of your accident that resulted in you being unable to complete your final Iditarod race. We so enjoyed meeting you in June 2018 when you spoke to our Princess cruise train trip. We have been a fan of you ever since and have followed your races.
Hope you heal and find new adventures in your life. You were truly one if the real highlight of our bucket list Alaska trip. Thank you.
Aily, I just want to wish you a speedy recovery. I’m so sorry to hear about your accident. My 8th graders and I have enjoyed following you and had hoped for an amazing race to end your Iditarod career. One thing we do know is that along with being a positive role model you are one tough lady. Speedy recovery to you. I hope to see you again on one of my visits back to Alaska.
Kathy Vincent
Greendale, Wisconsin
Aliy and the Red Team, you have always been one of my favorite teams to follow no matter what time of year it is. You are the true spirit of dog racing and of the Iditarod. Knowing this was the last time Red and Black teams would be on the trail, my heart was crushed. Yet, that was a powerful step to take. Reading about you bringing the dogs in to Rohn when you were a mess, well, that is absolutely YOU. Of all the Iditarods you have been a part of, ’16 was by far the most stressful as an onlooker in OR. Yet, that is why you have such a following. You are important, but your team is more important by far. In ’16 your strength and courage was beyond amazing. This year, well, you have surpassed that memory with more. Blessings to you as you heal and take steps toward the future. Forever a Red Team Fan, Kris
You are so adored and we are so grateful that you are ok and healing. Continue to send love and prayers.❤️💕♥️Love to you and the pups.
We love you and are praying for a quick recovery! You will always be a WINNER in my book!! Hugs!
Beautiful and well said from our Champion and Friends Aliy and Allen! We love you guys and you are in our hearts, prayers and some of our best memories!!! Gentle Hugs and love! Marji and Lee Venden 💞🙏🏻💝‼️💐
So sorry to hear this. They say things happen for a reason. You are strong & sure you will recover. The team is all healthy & avoided the “bug”. You all are champions & will be greatly missed. Please keep the web site updated.
Hi Aliy, we are so glad you are home and on the mend. Barbara and Andrew Swenson are good friends of ours here in New Jersey and When Barbara Swenson alerted us you had been hurt on the trail we were very concerned for you and your dogs and we have been praying for you. We continue to keep you in our prayers for complete healing and we know our Lord Jesus Christ kept you safe. Even though we don’t know why this happened we do know that God has everything in His control and He very possibly allowed this to happen to keep you and or your dog team from some catastrophic event further down the race route. He will help you through this and if you decide to race again (I know you had said this year was to be your last) we will be rooting for You and your SP Kennel team to win. God Bless you and Alan, Bill and Darlene Uhl.
AliyI have tried keeping up with the Iditarod from Northern CA for many years. I was always following your team. One thing that always impressed me was your kindness to others your dogs, volunteers. You always had that wonderful smile no matter how tough the trail or competition.
I was shocked to see you out of your last race so soon.
It wasn’t until two days ago I found out why.
Wishing you a good recovery and wonderful retirement. I will miss having you to cheer on in future Iditarods. Take care.
AliyI have tried keeping up with the Iditarod from Northern CA for many years. I was always following your team. One thing that always impressed me was your kindness to others your dogs, volunteers. You always had that wonderful smile no matter how tough the trail or competition.
I was shocked to see you out of your last race so soon.
It wasn’t until two days ago I found out why.
Wishing you a good recovery and wonderful retirement. I will miss having you to cheer on in future Iditarods. Take care.