Catholic Role Model on Television

Alex Debogorski. Do you know the name? He’s a star of a hit show, baby. Not exactly your everyday kind of star though. No chiseled chin. No catchphrase except the “Our Father.” No membership in clubs outside of the Knights of Columbus. And definitely no plastic surgery.

He’s a gentle giant who makes a living three months a year in one of the most dangerous jobs on Earth. He drives his massive truck hundreds of miles over roads made of snow and ice in temperatures that can reach -50 degrees Fahrenheit. But he does it on The History Channel. And he’s Roman Catholic and not exactly shy about it.

Self described as a juvenile delinquent, Alex is now the proud father of 11 children and 7 grandchildren and a lay prison minister .

I first stumbled on the show as I was clicking around and stopped because I was honestly shocked when I saw a man driving his truck over ice in near “whiteout” conditions while saying the “Our Father.”

This same man, Alex, said to a rather silly and rebellious middle aged fellow truck driver with a Mohawk-ish haircut that if he hadn’t been using his private parts for playthings he’d be a grandfather already.

It was delightfully counter cultural. And I was hooked.

One episode highlighted the beautiful aurora Borealis and Alex said to the room of truckers that it reminded him of God and some of the other guys laughed at him. Alex simply smiled.

It’s interesting to see Catholicism put in a positive light on television by a hardworking family man. For once, a reality show has hit closer to…well…reality.