Rick Casillo into Nome
Who would think there’d be a traffic jam in Nome. Front Street doesn’t even have a traffic light and if there was one, the dog powered sleds would have been yielded to by all other forms of vehicular traffic. Rick Casillo brought his Battle Dawg team to the burled arch this morning and parked between the teams of Lance and Jason Mackey. Shortly after Rick set his snow hook, Tim Hunt also made the burled arch.
Casillo grabbed snacks from his sled bag and worked his line, thanking and praising his dogs. Working around all of the dogs, sleds, mushers and media, one of the Iditarod Website fellows carrying an IPad seemed to be following Rick every where he went. On the screen of the Ipad was a woman wearing battle fatigues. As a surprise for Rick, Iditarod’s website managers had arranged a SKYPE call with his wife Jennifer who is currently deployed. When Rick saw the screen and realized his wife, half a world away, was there with him under the arch he said, “There are so many people here, I’m going to lose it.” The moment was emotional for all who saw and heard.
Casillo’s wife, Jennifer, has served in both the Iran and Afghanistan wars. Together they operate Battle Dawgs Racing and are committed to helping our nations true heroes. Battle Dawg has teamed up with Alaska’s healing Hearts to serve the battle wounded and battle weary. They provide 12 months of healing ground four our nation’s wounded warriors. during the summer they fly veterans to their glacier dog camp and take them mushing. In the winter, the warriors play a key part in helping Rick train and prepare for the Iditarod.
Rick and Jennifer Casillo talk via SKYPE from Burled Arch in Nome
Casillo finished in 44th place with a time of 12 days, 0 hours and 37 minutes. Rick has completed the Iditarod six times since 2004. He made the run from Safety to Nome in 2 hours and 29 minutes. There are so many stories from each Iditarod that warm the heart, surely this is one from 2015 that will be remembered for a long time.
