TERRY FOX LOOKOUT
We began our day trip at Done-Rite Tire & Auto on Carrick Street. We headed to the Harbour Expressway and hung a left. We continued on the Harbour Expressway until we reached Highway 11/17, at which time, we turned right. We stayed on Highway 11/17 for roughly 25 kilometres until we reached the sign for the Terry Fox Lookout.
A few facts about Terry Fox:
Terrance Stanley Fox was born on July 28, 1958 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He moved to Surrey, British Columbia in 1966 and settled in Port Coquitlam in 1968.
Terry was athletic from an early age. He played soccer, rugby and baseball, but his true passion was basketball. In Grade 8, despite his height (he was only 5 feet tall in Grade 8), he tried out for his School’s basketball team. The basketball coach encouraged Terry to take up cross-country running as he felt his size was better suited to running.
Terry was awarded “Athlete of the Year” in his final year of high school.
Terry enrolled in Kinesiology at Simon Fraser University. It was a stepping-stone to becoming a Physical Education teacher.
In March of 1977, Terry was diagnosed with osteosarcoma, and was advised his leg had to be amputated.
The night before his amputation surgery, Terry learned about a man named Dick Traum. Mr. Traum was the first amputee to complete the New York City Marathon. This story inspired Terry and shaped his determination.
In October 1979, Terry wrote a letter to the Canadian Cancer Society announcing his goal to run across Canada. This is what he said:
“The people in cancer clinics all over the world need people who believe in miracles. I am not a dreamer, and I am not saying that this will initiate any kind of definitive answer or cure to cancer. I believe in miracles. I have to."
Terry obtained sponsorship from Ford for the van he drove, Imperial Oil for fuel, and Adidas for the running shoes he wore.
On April 12, 1980, Terry Fox began his Marathon of Hope in St. John’s Newfoundland. He dipped his right leg in the Atlantic Ocean and filled two large bottles with ocean water. He intended to pour one bottle of water into the Pacific Ocean at the completion of his Marathon.
Terry had run for 143 days and completed 5,373 kilometres. He had raised $1.7 million when the Marathon of Hope was abandoned.
Terry Fox died on June 28, 1981.
To date, Terry Fox is responsible for raising over $750 million for Cancer Research.
As a Canadian, you probably know most of these facts. You may not have known that Terry Fox was born in Winnipeg, or that he ran 5,373 kilometers, but you knew that Terry Fox had a dream to run across Canada.
The Terry Fox Lookout is situated near the spot where Terry was forced to abandon his Marathon of Hope. There is a bronze statue of Terry Fox that measures 9 feet tall. It sits on granite and amethyst, overlooking Lake Superior and the Sleeping Giant.
The road leading into the Memorial is very well kept, as are the grounds surrounding the Memorial. There are benches and picnic tables situated throughout the grounds for patrons to enjoy.
When you visit the Terry Fox Memorial, I encourage you to take your time and read the plaques detailing Terry’s journey. You will be reminded that dreaming big can lead to big results, even if you only make it half-way.
We give this day trip a 10 out of 10.
