Students help legacy of Terry Fox live on
It’s been more than 35 years since Terry Fox ran his Marathon of Hope, but his message lives on.
“(People) are so passionate across this country to continue Terry’s dream. It might have faded a long time ago but it’s been Canadians that have kept it going,” said Fred Fox, Terry’s older brother.
Fred has spent this month visiting schools in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta in honour of the Terry Fox Run. On Wednesday, he visited Ecole Elsie Mironuck School to speak to students about his brother’s legacy.
“Terry was just an average kid, average ability, wasn’t the best athlete or the best student in class. But Terry shows us that with a little bit of hard work, determination, that never-quit attitude, you can accomplish almost anything you want if your attitude is right,” Fred said.
When Terry started the Marathon of Hope, Fred thought it was cool, but he didn’t realize the impact it would have. Years later, he is still amazed by it. There are more than 30 countries around the world participating in the Terry Fox Run.
“You get a country like Cuba who they see Terry as their Canadian hero and they want to continue what he started. And it’s so amazing that Terry’s story has not stuck just here in Canada,” Fred said.
At Mironuck, the students knew of Terry and his story long before they met Fred.
Lucas Campbell, a Grade 5 student, heard the story of Terry running halfway across Canada many times before.
“I learned more about Terry, how he grew up, more of what he did for the world and how much he encouraged people just to get out and run,” Campbell said after Fred’s presentation.
Campbell enjoys seeing how many people take part in the Terry Fox Run every year. His classmate Aurora Kennedy participates in the Terry Fox Run too and has fundraised $727, so far, for this year’s run.
“I thought it was really cool how (Terry) ran that far and he ran every day. I don’t think I could ever do that,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy’s grandmother passed away last year from cancer, making the Terry Fox Run that much more important to her.
“It just made me want to actually find a cure for cancer because
Terry shows us that with a little bit of hard work, determination, that never-quit attitude, you can accomplish almost anything …
my grandmother passed away,” she said.
For Fred that is the message he is trying to get across, so that Terry and his legacy can live on.
“Terry would be proud to know that the money raised is truly making a difference.
“People are surviving their cancer, the outcomes of a diagnosis are so much better and that’s what Terry wanted to happen,” Fred said.