 The so-called Sapala Siberian dog named Diesel, who plays the adult Togo in the film, is actually Togo's great-grandson, 14 generations away, according to the film's director. Diesel is not only linked to Togo, but his coloration also makes him look a lot like Togo. Upon returning from a run at the beginning of the movie, Sapala discovers that a diphtheria outbreak has already claimed the lives of five children. The meeting's second part consists of overt pressure being used on Sapala to travel to Nanana to get the serum. Sapala is initially unconvinced, but after looking through the town's hospital windows and observing youngsters sneezing and coughing, he becomes persuaded that he must go, despite his wife's objections. Things went a little differently in reality. At a similar meeting, Welch and Maynard were present, but Sapala was not and played a minimal role in the decision-making process. The Cruelest Miles reports that he was referred to as the fastest musher in Alaska and went by the nickname, King of the Trail, suggesting that his fame may have been much larger than what the film implied.