TORONTO — When Barbara Adhiya first learned that Terry Fox had run the length of a marathon a day during his journey across Canada, she was shocked.
Like most Canadians, Adhiya had known about the icon’s 1980 mission to raise funds for cancer research through a 4,700-mile run from Newfoundland to British Columbia, but not much about Fox’s childhood, the day-to-day grind of his run and his deep connection to his supporters.
After months of training, Fox began his cross-country run in St. John's, N.L., garnering a frenzy of fans and media attention along the way. “You are painted a picture through their eyes of who he was through all these little bits that no one knew before,” Adhiya said, adding that the Terry Fox Foundation and Fox's brother, Darrell, helped organize the interviews.
They include decades-old messages exchanged between Fox and Judith Ray, one of his nurses during his amputation, and Peter Colistro, a former teammate on Fox’s wheelchair basketball team in Vancouver. They detail Fox’s determination during the run, showcasing his optimism as he made his way through each city.
“When people read it, they will see that even though he must have been in pain ... he was still happy because it was sunny that day,” she said. “He was still happy because some kids came at the side of the road and pushed him further.”In September 1980, after running for more than four months, Fox was forced to stop his marathon in Thunder Bay, Ont., after he was diagnosed with lung cancer. He died the next June at the age of 22.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
New route for this year’s Terry Fox RunThe run takes place on Sunday afternoon.
Read more »
Donations sought for new Terry Fox exhibit in Port CoquitlamDo you have photos, videos or keepsakes of Terry Fox growing up in Port Coquitlam? The city is calling for donations for a new permanent display called 'Terry Fox: Inspiring Local Champions.'
Read more »
Donations sought for new Terry Fox exhibit in Port CoquitlamDo you have photos, videos or keepsakes of Terry Fox growing up in Port Coquitlam? The city is calling for donations for a new permanent display called 'Terry Fox: Inspiring Local Champions.'
Read more »
New book captures 'intimate look' at Terry Fox with journal entries, interviewsTORONTO — When Barbara Adhiya first learned that Terry Fox had run the length of a marathon a day during his journey across Canada, she was shocked.
Read more »
New book captures 'intimate look' at Terry Fox with journal entries, interviewsTORONTO — When Barbara Adhiya first learned that Terry Fox had run the length of a marathon a day during his journey across Canada, she was shocked.
Read more »
Leukemia survivor gives back by fundraising for Terry Fox RunLingering symptoms told the family that something just wasn’t right with Dad last summer
Read more »