John “Mitch” Mitchell
John Mitchell was born in Arnprior, Ontario and attended school in New Brunswick. He travelled west working at forestry jobs and in road and bridge construction. He was working in Atlin before he and friend went to Dawson. Mitch immediately started running dogs and feeding them on chum salmon. When the Yukon Quest dog race was being organized, Mitch worked at connecting trappers' trail to form a route.1)
Mitchell became a Canadian Ranger in 1991. He was the first Canadian Ranger to become a member of the Order of Military Merit (MMM) for his years of service. He also got a commander's commemoration for the Canadian Forces Northern Area. In 1998, John Mitchell fought off two Rottweiler dogs to save a six-year-old boy, Cory Taylor. Governor General Adrienne Clarkson awarded the Medal of Bravery to Mitchell in Ottawa on December 6, 2001. The military medal is awarded for acts of bravery in hazardous circumstances and recipients may use the letters M.B. after their name.2)