Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/78449
KING OF THE ICE ROAD (Continued from Page 27) After growing up on an Alberta farm, he worked as club bouncer, coal miner, taxi driver, oil rigger and gold and dia- mond prospector. In 1972, he was 19, married with a baby and working at a tire shop in Grande Cache, Alberta, when a customer asked if he'd be interested in driving a truck for the McIntyre Porcupine Coal Mine. He figured, "Why not?" In 1976, he relocated to Yellow-knife in far northern Canada with his wife, Louise, and their expanding family, where he signed on to truck the ice roads. He's since hauled freight to some of the world's most remote, frigid areas. In the off-season he runs a topsoil busi- ness, prospects for gold and diamonds and fixes old cars. If he's not working, he's often telling tales in the local diner or flying to the lower 48 for celebrity appearances and product endorsements. Debogorski's been married to Louise for 40 years. They have 11 children and 13 grandchildren "and counting," he says with a laugh. He's open about his conser- vative beliefs, Catholicism and Christian values. Fans come to appearances bearing gifts of rosaries and prayer books. He has plenty of opportunity to opine on the show and in a new docu- mentary about his life with the work- ing title, "King of the Road." Loren McGinnis, director of the film, spent two months last year traveling across the United States with Debogorski. They logged more than 23,000 miles ICE BREAKERS: DEBOGORSKI QUOTES FROM 'ICE ROAD TRUCKERS' For me to piss [for a drug test] — I'm so old now I gotta have half a Viagra. You know what the good thing is about this weather? You can see your breath, that way you know your still breathing. Everybody should get up in the morning and say a prayer, you know, for the day, for protection and guid- ance, and to give thanks for this day. You know, people call me a hypocrite. I say well, I'm not a very good example of Christianity but I'm a much-improved version of what I once was. They must have trucks in heaven 'cause I'm sure my guardian angel is a driver, eh. He sure does a good job of looking after me. 80 | Overdrive | September 2012