“If you took a side profile of Randy, he looks just like a bison. And you could see it, maybe if you squint your eyes a little bit…but he’s definitely become part of the face of the Wood Bison Restoration Project.”
A couple of months ago I sat down with Luke and Teal Rogers. I had encouraged them to share this beautiful story with me which is certainly not one you’d expect to hear from a couple of late-generation millennials. Teal, already a small business owner before she had turned 23, runs Golden Heart Performing Arts and works part-time as the Outdoor Programs Coordinator for REI. Luke, an experienced rafter and recreationalist, was conducting wildlife biology research on bison as an undergraduate at UAF at the time and is now pursuing a masters degree at the University of Nebraska. Their love for adventure, the outdoors, and bison was instilled in them in part by their father, Randy Rogers, who passed away in 2013 after a courageous battle with cancer. During his life, Randy worked tirelessly to reintroduce wood bison into the wilds of Alaska through his roles at the Department of Fish and Game and the Northern Environmental Center. Unfortunately, he was never able to see the release of the Wood Bison to which he had committed himself and his career. The story they shared with me was about how they carry their father with them and the love that he had for the wilderness and wildlife of Alaska. This episode is titled “Remembering Randy, Restoring the Bison.”
Note: Solo Guitar Two by Tapes & Tubes used in the audio edit is licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial License.
Beautiful job Luke and Teal. A very inspirational tribute to Randy, who inspired the wilderness spirit in us all. Thank you both for sharing your stories, and may the spirit of Randy guide you onward in your journeys!