Lance Mackey, an Alaskan mushing champion who garnered throngs of admirers with his tenacious spirit and natural courage despite severe health issues, passed away Wednesday night at the age of 52.
On Thursday, Mackey’s Comeback Kennel and parents both made the announcement of his passing.
He was referred to informally as the “people’s champion” due to his unfortunate past and successful redemption, as well as his laid-back demeanour and straightforward manner.
A previous image is currently trending on social media. On Thursday, a picture of a truck was posted online with the caption, “Superman wears Lance Mackey pyjamas!” The truck was travelling down an Alaskan highway.
As word of Mackey’s passing spread, testimonials from admirers and other mushers all throughout the nation hailed him as a legend, a friend, and an inspiration for his way with sled dogs.
Nic Petit, a Big Lake-based musher with a great Iditarod resume but no victories, and Mackey both like racing Legends cars, which he began doing in 2016.
According to Petit, he has been using Mackey’s car for a few weeks, as of Thursday.
About 15 years ago, Jessie Holmes, an Iditarod top-10 finisher running a kennel off the Denali Highway, met Mackey. Holmes, who is best known for his part in the reality TV series “Life Below Zero,” claimed that several Mackey dog lineages are present in his kennel.
But what he remembers the most was the musher’s manner with the dogs.
“The man has inspired and will inspire me and countless others,” he said, adding it was an honor to mush and drive with Mackey. “We can’t replace him. So we’ll race in his name.”
“Definitely one of the most inspiring things is the way he connected with his dogs and what they would do for him,” Holmes said Thursday. “The crazy things he was able to do, where you knew he has a deep connection and understanding of his dogs.”
