In December 2019, Disney released “Togo,” a riveting movie adaptation of the Siberian husky that saved thousands of lives through a bizarre feat. The story of Togo leading his team of sled dogs through unbearable blizzards and miles of cracking ice was so surreal it seemed more like a made-up legend or movie magic than actual history.

Although the film wasn’t entirely accurate, as you shall find out, it stayed true to the real account of this legendary dog for the most part. You don’t need to have watched the movie to understand Togo’s fascinating tale, because this read will be walking you through it.

The Deadly Epidemic That Started It All

To understand why Togo deserves a million accolades, you need to go back in time to the tiny area of Nome in Alaska. It was in the middle of January 1925 and several children had contracted diphtheria, a highly contagious infection that could cause an epidemic and kill off most of the area’s population.

There was enough reason to be terrified of an outbreak like diphtheria because it often targeted children, and its victims usually died of choking. As was the luck of the little town, they only had one doctor, Curtis Welch, and he was able to discover the threat of the infection before it killed more people.