The Inspirational Story of One Family Alone in Alaska’s Remote Brooks Range for 14 Months
Arctic Son: Fulfilling the Dream
DVD 2-disc documentary
Message to our Friends
Our beloved son, Lucas Foster Irons, died unexpectedly in January 2012. He was a creative, brilliant and gentle soul, the light of our lives for almost 26 years. For more about his life please see the essay tab under, “Straight on ‘till Morning.”
A true Alaska documentary, "Arctic Son" describes the adventures, starting in the spring of 1992, where author Jeanie Aspen, daughter of Alaskan adventurers Constance and Bud Helmericks, sets out with her husband, Tom, their 6-year-old son, Luke, and friend Laurie for fourteen months alone in Alaska’s remote Brooks Range. Flown into the Alaskan wilderness, the four strive to gain a foothold before winter reclaims the land, a hundred miles from the nearest other people. The following summer they face a perilous 600-mile downriver canoe journey back to the world they left behind.
As professional artists, Tom and Jeanie readily incorporate the camera into family life, candidly recording their struggles and triumphs against the awesome beauty of America’s last great wilderness. Each member of the small family shares honestly the challenges of this new life. Luke’s entries are charming and poignant as we watch him mature under the tutelage of arctic wilderness. Extraordinary historic footage of Jeanie as a child in the Brooks Range adds depth to this story of pioneer spirit and evolving relationships, bringing this Alaska documentary to life.
