07/07/2026
Ettra, you will always be the heart of Hearts in the Ice❤️
A few dogs are those rare souls who become part of the story of countless lives. Ettra was one of them.
For 19 unforgettable months, she was our closest companion, our protector, our explorer, our comfort, our joy and our family. She was never simply "the expedition dog." She was the heart that beat quietly beside ours.
During these 19 months in extreme remoteness at Bamsebu in Svalbard, Ettra shared every sunrise, every polar night, every polar bear encounter, every storm and every moment of uncertainty. She stood watch when polar bears wandered nearby. She reminded us to laugh when days were hard. She gave us courage simply by being there.
Those months became the most meaningful expedition of my life, of our lives. And I cannot tell that story without telling hers.
Through Hearts in the Ice, the world came to know Ettra.
More than 100,000 children joined us through live classrooms, discovering the Arctic through curious eyes—and through a beautiful black and white Malamute who somehow spoke every language without saying a word.
Scientists, educators, women's networks, organizations, business leaders and friends from every continent followed our journey. Wherever we travelled virtually, one question was asked again and again:
"How is Ettra?"
Perhaps the most unforgettable moment came after our live broadcast with Jane Goodall and more than 7,200 students around the world. As soon as the cameras stopped rolling, Jane's very first question was simply:
"How is the dog?"
That was Ettra.
She had a remarkable gift for connecting with people. Children adored her. Adults trusted her instantly. She carried a quiet kindness that made everyone feel safe.
When we returned home to Longyearbyen in 2021, Ettra never stopped being at the centre of my life and Steinar´s too.
She stood beside us through some of our happiest moments and through some of our hardest. During Steinar's illness, she became a source of calm, comfort and strength. She never left our side.
She was breathtakingly beautiful, powerful yet impossibly gentle. Sensitive to every emotion, every change in the room, every unspoken feeling. She seemed to understand far more than words could ever explain. She was fun and she "talked" like only a Malamute can.
Everyone who truly knew Ettra loved her.
And we were the luckiest of all.
Then illness came. Far too soon.
Nine years feels impossibly short for a fit and healthy dog and a soul who gave so much.
Our home is quieter now. Our adventures will never quite be the same. Bamsebu will always carry her footprints, even as the snow covers them.
Ettra became part of who we are.
Her legacy lives not only in our hearts, but in the memories of children she inspired, in the people she comforted, in the lives she quietly touched across the world, and in every person who discovered that courage can also have four paws.
Thank you, Ettra. For every mile. For every adventure. For every lesson. For every moment of unconditional love🙏❤️.
You changed far more lives than you will ever know.
Run free, beautiful girl.🐶
