Members of the Iditarod and the Kenai Peninsula are mourning the loss of former Iditarod musher Paul Gebhardt.
The 67 year-old passed away on Saturday, December 2nd, after a lengthy battle with multiple myeloma, which is a form of cancer that attacks the blood cells, bones, and immune system.
Gebhardt was first diagnosed after he placed 10th at the 2017 Iditarod Race. He started to receive chemotherapy six days after his original diagnosis.
Iditarod Race Director and Race Marshal Mark Nordman says that the community is saddened by the loss of Paul, and described him as a competitive and fun-loving guy.
“I think I still see Paul’s smile all the way between Wasilla and Nome. A lot of dear friends that he made within mushing for sure. You know, he raced so many different races, of course the Tustumena was his home race… and so it’s just a huge loss for the whole community. He lived a really hard, fast, fun loving life,” says Nordman.
Nordman says that he first found about about Gebhardt’s passing Saturday morning, while at the Iditarod’s rookie meeting. Even though the room was filled with new mushers, everyone knew who Paul was, and was extremely saddened by his passing. But his legacy shall remain.
“I think Paul made it to the stature where, I’ve always said this for years, but people that go by one name. Now we have Paul Gebhardt you can say Paul, and everybody’s always knowing who that was,” said Nordman.
In an interview back in 2017, when he was first diagnosed with myeloma, Gebhardt told AKSK in an interview that even though he would not be in the 2018 race, he was determined to keep fighting.
“It doesn’t exist in my kennel and it doesn’t exist with me. The word ‘quit’ is not used at my place” Gebhardt said.
Although nothing has been confirmed at the moment, Nordman foresees a memorial service happening for Paul in the future.
Gebhardt and his teams have competed in 21 Iditarods, and he’s finished in second place twice. He also founded the Morning View Kennel in Kasilof.