Ride of a lifetime

ANCHORAGE — Four-time Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race champion Jeff King was packing a backup pup at Saturday’s ceremonial start.

Darian Stengrim, a 13-year-old Wasilla Middle School student, was a welcome stowaway on King’s sled realizing an exciting dream that — at least for awhile — overshadows his recovery from surgery to remove a brain tumor.

“It was great,” Darian said after a 45-minute ride with one of the sport’s best-known mushers. “It was just really fast, it was cold and the dogs were really smart.”

The intelligence and training of the dogs was one of the things that stood out from the ride, he said.

“Whenever Jeff yelled ‘brake,’ they all just started shoving their faces in the snow, licking up the snow, rolling around.”

And for the last mile or so of the ceremonial start, King allowed Darian to stand on the runners behind the sled with Blayne Streeper, a champion sprint musher who was the brake man on King’s sled.

Two years ago, getting close to an Iditarod sled dog team wasn’t on Darian’s radar, said his mother, Kimberly Stengrim. Darian suffered from migraines and began having seizures, and in October 2008 a tumor the size of a golf ball was discovered in his brain. A month later, the then 11-year-old had the tumor surgically removed.

“His surgery was just over a year ago and he’s a healthy kid now,” Kimberly said. “They don’t really know what caused the tumor. He had been having seizures for nearly a year and he had been having migraines since he was about 8 years old.”

Although she knew something was wrong, learning one’s child has a brain tumor “was horrifying,” she said. “It was really scary. As a mom, I knew there was something wrong, but when we were told it was still the worst day of our lives.”

Darian’s family weren’t the only one’s frightened by the diagnosis.

“I thought that I might die and I was really scared,” Darian said, adding that the entire experience “was just really scary for me.”

But since his operation, Darian said he has responded well.

“I’ve been feeling really good,” he said. “I’ve been able to do all the sports I like, like skateboarding, biking and wakeboarding.”

A wish come true

Since Darian’s surgery, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has helped provide the Valley youth with opportunities he may never have had. Last year he took a Caribbean cruise and on Saturday, a second wish came true at the ceremonial start of the Iditarod.

Places on the mushers’ sleds are auctioned off for the start. In past years, Cabela’s had purchased King’s spot and donated it to Make-A-Wish. When the sporting goods giant couldn’t make that commitment this year, King bought the spot himself for $2,500.

“That’s just amazing,” Kimberly said of King’s commitment to Make-A-Wish. “Jeff King bought the spot on his own sled. He’s been really involved in Make-A-Wish and he’s really, really awesome. … It’s such a privilege, and I think it’s wonderful that with everything (Darian’s) had to go through, there’s some sort of reward for it.”

For King, who said this will be his last Iditarod race, having Darian along on Saturday’s start was as much fun for him.

“He’s had a pretty tough go of it,” King said. “But he’s come through it and I think it’s pretty neat to share this moment. He seems like a great kid.”

Giving a ride for a Make-A-Wish recipient is something King said he looks forward to each year. Besides, “it’s my last year, so I didn’t want to break tradition. … When hard things happen to good people, it’s nice to give back a little.”

Looking ahead to the race, King said he feels good about his last Iditarod.

“I’m looking forward to having a good race,” he said. “I’m ready to go. Since it’s my last one, I’m going to try to soak in every minute.”

Although Darian said he just wants to be a normal teenager, being a kid from the Valley and having the chance to watch King and his team in action was inspiring.

“I never thought I’d get to do anything like this,” he said. “It’s the first time I’ve ever rode in mushing or anything. … But it’s really fun and exciting and people should try it. It’s at the top (of cool things he’s done in his life). I now am actually thinking about doing the Iditarod at least once or something.”

With the crowds of cheering and waving fans, riding in the sled on Saturday was like being in a parade, he said. “I saw my parents waving and everyone is all taking pictures and waving at you.”

Along the way, “I learned a lot” about mushing, Darian said. “Like, all the words to stop and go and turn.”

Near the end of the ceremonial start, Darian expressed an interest in standing on the runners behind the sled, King said, so they stopped and he got his wish.

“He did great, too,” King said. “We swapped him around and he did a great job.”

Three-time defending champion Lance Mackey will take off from today’s official Iditarod restart in Willow as the favorite, but Kimberly and Darian are rooting for King.

“He’s going to win this year because of having (Darian) riding with him,” Kimberly said. “I’m definitely going to be rooting for him, that’s for sure.”

Darian’s prognosis is good, his mother said, although he has to travel to Seattle each year for testing and is still on medication for seizures.

“I’m feeling fine,” Darian said.

“Every once in awhile, if I hit my head it hurts, but it’s all good.”

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.