Bigfoot, donuts and dreams: Behind the scenes of polar plunge to benefit Make-A Wish Idaho
Daniel Falkowski, 38, came to jump into the frigid waters at Lucky Peak State Park on Saturday dressed as Bigfoot.
It’s his fifth year participating in the Great Polar Bear Challenge, which benefits Make-A-Wish Idaho. His sons told him he needed to dress up. So he stood there in the cold January winds, in a shaggy red costume — swim trunks on top.
“It is exhilarating,” Falkowski said. “You get a good dopamine high.”
The crowd bubbled with excitement, growing larger and larger as participants hiked down a steep ramp. A team of divers waited in the water, buffeted by waves. Others stood by fires and ate donuts.
It was Dan Griffin’s 17th year plunging and the 57-year-old came dressed as a chicken. He used to be on a team called “The Frozen Nuggets,” and his poultry mask was a nod to that. Griffin said he remembered a time where they’ve had to cut the ice for people to get in. The wind Saturday was cold, he said, but other years have been worse.
On the other hand, this year was 6-year-old Dahlia Thompson’s first time.
She’d raised almost $900 and was waiting with her parents, all in matching costumes that they dubbed “los fríos muertos.” Her dad, 53-year-old JohnD, has been doing this for 10 years.
“I don’t get cold very easy,” JohnD said. However, Dahlia’s mom, 53-year-old Yvonne, was not going to be taking part.
“She’s scared of the water,” Dahlia said, laughing.
Another first-timer was 20-year-old Christian Lim, who has a personal connection to the issue. At age 16, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
“I don’t know how I got through it,” Lim said. “I just knew that God was watching over me.”
Lim was ultimately able to make a wish at age 17, and he chose to go shopping for electronics to help him follow his photography and videography dreams.
Now, he’s been in remission for over 3 years.
As the time for plunging drew closer, the crowd talked and jumped, anticipating the freezing waves. A loud voice counted down. Five. Four. Three. Two. One. The mass of people moved into the water — and then almost immediately some participants came right back out.
Back on land, JohnD held his daughter, Dahlia, wrapped in a pink towel.
But some stayed submerged, including Lim, who pumped his arms with the snow-covered mountains in the background.
“It was great. I loved it,” Lim said afterwards. “The only thing I am struggling with is my toes. My toes are cold.”
This story was originally published January 11, 2025 at 2:50 PM.
