09/30/2026
“I first came to Alaska in 2017 after my freshman year of college. My best friend from Homer invited me up for a summer fishing job. I ended up coming back every summer while I was in college in Massachusetts. In 2020, I was already back in Homer when COVID changed my winter plans, so I moved to Anchorage and have been here ever since.
One of the things I love most about Alaska is how connected you can be to the outdoors. Homer and Kachemak Bay are especially meaningful to me. Glacier View is another special place because that’s where I got married. I’m pretty much always outside when I have the time, whether I’m biking, running, hiking, or camping in the summer, or skiing in the winter. I’m also into birding. I go to the Kachemak Bay Shorebird Festival in Homer every year.
At GCI, I work in retail at the C Street store, helping customers with everything from setting up new lines and swapping equipment to transferring phones and basic troubleshooting. I’m an extrovert, so I like being in a customer-facing role where I get to meet and work with people every day. My job has also given me the opportunity to travel around Alaska and support stores in Utqiaġvik, Dutch Harbor, Kodiak, Dillingham, Bethel, Nome, and Sitka. I probably never would have seen some of those parts of the state otherwise, so I love getting to visit new places and experience the different communities.
One experience that really sticks with me was volunteering after the typhoon last year, when GCI gave us paid volunteer hours to help sort donations for affected communities. I remember seeing pallets full of food, clothing, and other supplies, and there was so much that people had donated that it was honestly emotional to see. Seeing how many people across Alaska came together to help really had an impact on me.”
Ty Torres works at GCI’s C Street retail store in Anchorage, helping customers with mobile and internet services. He first came to Alaska for a summer fishing job in 2017 before moving to Anchorage in 2020. Outside of work, he enjoys skiing, biking, hiking, birding, and spending time with his dogs and cats”
