Celebrity Series
CELEBRITY SERIES
TOUGHER
THAN TOUGH
I
ce road trucker Alex Debogorski
epitomizes the word tough, and
in the sixth season of the History Channel’s “Ice Road Truckers” and the upcoming season of
“IRT: Deadliest Roads,” he takes
on Canada’s remote Dempster
Highway. With 30 years of driving
experience, the legendary character,
known as the Shock Jock,” tackles
the brutal ice roads with professionalism and a sense of humor.
TRUCKERS NEWS: What’s it
like driving with cameras following
your every move?
DEBOGORSKI: Well, I think my
mom took me off the boob too
early, because I’ve always loved to
be the center of attention. Sure,
sometimes feathers get ruffled and
I have to explain to new crewmembers how the rules of the
road work. They always want me
to stretch the limits of hours of
service, but I set them straight.
But for the most part we get
along and I get close to them.
Often they also film shows like
“Deadliest Catch” and are used to
extreme conditions.
TN: Fans seem upset that Lisa and
Maya didn’t return this season.
Book: King of the Road
Watch Alex talk about his book
by scanning this QR code with
your smartphone or tablet.
Or visit http://www.iceroad
trucker.ca/index.html.
20 | TRUCKERS NEWS | JULY 2012
CHAT LIVE
WITH ALEX DEBOGORSKI
Date: Check our Facebook page
(facebook.com/truckersnewsmag)
this month for an update on when
we’ll be chatting with Alex.
Location: truckersnews.com/celebrity
In advance: If you can’t attend,
post your questions for Alex to
our Facebook page anytime before
July 10 at 5 p.m. EDT.
Special thanks to our sponsor
D: Well, I really liked Lisa. She’s a
great gal and I’m sorry she’s not
back. I don’t know the details but
she’ll find something good. I didn’t
work with Maya, but she seemed
like a good person when I met her
this year at a truck show.
TN: Do truckers recognize you?
D: Yeah, I get a lot of good comments
when I’m out and about. I keep my
CB radio on in my personal car and
am amazed at how many truckers
recognize me outside of a truck.
TN: Is the ice road as dangerous as
the show makes it out to be?
D: It takes a lot of concentration
and experience to drive under such
tough conditions and extreme
temperatures. I’ve been driving since
Alex Debogorski
I was 19 years old, but there are lots
of other drivers who are equally as
qualified to drive the ice roads. Still,
I want to say that all truckers work
under dangerous conditions every
day no matter what road they drive.
Throw in health issues and you have
a highly risky job.
TN: In season two you had a serious
health scare that included a heart
arrhythmia and pulmonary embolisms and were medevac’d from the
ice road. How are you doing now?
D: It’s hard to stay healthy on the
road. I’m 59 years old and I had
open-heart surgery when I was 48.
I have changed my diet since the
embolism, but like most truckers I
struggle with my weight. My goal is
to eat as healthy as possible, but it’s
not always easy. I try to pack snacks
like raw vegetables and start every
day with a berry smoothie when
I’m home. I recommend you get as
much information as you can on
nutrition and try to eat smaller portions, less sugar and fats and more
fruits and vegetables.
TN: What do you do in the offseason?
D: My family life is my center. I’ve
been married for 40 years, have 10
children and my 13th grandchild
is on the way. Most of us live in
Yellowknife, in the Northwest Territory of Canada.
TN: So, what happens in season six?
A: You will have to watch it
and see.