I am Carol Seppilu, and my Siberian Yupik name is Nasqaghmii, which means “clan of Nasqaq.” That’s where my Instagram handle name comes from. I was born and raised in a remote village on St. Lawrence Island and later moved to Nome, Alaska. Life was not easy. I went through many adverse childhood experiences that left deep emotional scars. As a teenager, the weight of that pain became too much, and in 1999, I attempted to end my own life. I barely survived the self-inflicted GSW and was left with devastating facial injuries. It’s been a long and hard journey since then.

With the love and support of family and friends, and through my faith in an undeniable sense of purpose, I was able to keep going—day by day. In 2009, I made the choice to stop the painful reconstructive surgeries, hoping that someday there would be advancements. I got a job and began to live.

In 2014, I started running as a way to cope with the trauma. I ran to survive. I ran to heal. And soon, I ran because I fell in love with seeing how much farther I could go. What started as a two-mile goal turned into ultramarathons, with my longest distance to date being 150 miles.

And I’m not done yet. Follow along in my journey through my blog here and/or on Instagram where I share snippets of my life.

If you or someone you know is struggling, you are not alone. Help is available. Please reach out to a crisis line, talk to someone you trust, or seek professional support.

📞 United States:

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Call or text 988

Available 24/7 | Free | Confidential

More info: https://988lifeline.org

🌍 Outside the U.S.:

Find international resources here: https://www.befrienders.org