photo #9150393

January 1967. Tok, Alaska. -50°F. 200 miles from Fairbanks hospital. One road. One school bus. A 9-year-old Athabascan girl, Mary, fell through ice on the Tanana River. Got her out, but lungs filled, hypothermia, pneumonia. Village had no doctor. Radio said: “Get her to Fairbanks or she dies by morning.” Ed Sorenson, 55, was the school district mechanic. He had the only vehicle that could maybe make it: the 1956 International bus. No heat except a leaking manifold. He wrapped Mary in army blankets, put her on the engine cover — warmest spot. He drove 14 hours straight. 200 miles of ice, black ice, no guardrails. At mile 120 the engine started knocking. He stopped, poured his thermos of coffee into the radiator to keep it from freezing, and went on. Got to Fairbanks at 4am. Carried her in. Doctors said: “2 more hours, she’d be gone.” She lived. Lost 3 toes. Ed drove the bus back. Took 16 hours. Slept 2 days. School board gave him $100 bonus. He gave it to Mary’s family for boots. In 1995, Mary graduated nursing school. She sent Ed a stethoscope. Note: “Engine cover was warmer.”