Led by Terry Fox’s brother, cyclists stop in Thunder Bay, Ont., on National Ride of Hope

The cyclists came to a stop in front of the Terry Fox National Historic Monument in Thunder Bay, Ont., where a moment of silence followed the cheers. Tears welled up in the eyes of Darrell Fox, who stood beneath his older brother Terry’s statue for the first time in 27 years.

Terry Fox was just 18 years old when he was diagnosed with bone cancer in 1977. Despite having his right leg amputated above the knee, he embarked on a journey to run across Canada in April 1980 to raise money for cancer research. Tragically, his Marathon of Hope was cut short just outside Thunder Bay when the cancer spread to his lungs. Terry Fox passed away at the age of 22 in June 1981.

Now, 45 years after Terry began his cross-country trek, Darrell Fox and a team of seven cyclists are riding from Vancouver to St. John’s to honor his memory and raise $1 million this summer. The annual Terry Fox Run has already raised over $900 million in Terry’s name.

“I thought he was invincible. I didn’t think anything could stop Terry Fox. He ran 42 kilometers every day on an artificial leg,” Darrell Fox shared with CBC News during the visit to Thunder Bay.

The National Ride of Hope kicked off on June 9 in Vancouver and has raised over $950,000 so far. The cyclists have been stopping in communities along the way to listen to the stories of those inspired by Terry Fox’s journey.

Gloria Nacinovic, who met Darrell Fox at the monument, recalled how Terry Fox had inspired her when he passed through Red Rock after her own battle with lymphoma. She brought a poster signed by Terry to the event, thanking Darrell for continuing his brother’s legacy.

The Dragons of Hope, a team of breast cancer survivors, greeted the cyclists with a display of pink paddles before they arrived at the monument. Member Robyn Czerwinski, diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022, shared her childhood memory of waiting to cheer on Terry Fox in Thunder Bay.

Thunder Bay city councillor Dominic Pasqualino, who has lost two sisters to cancer, emphasized the importance of cancer research as the cyclists continue their journey. Darrell Fox admitted feeling uncertain about continuing past Thunder Bay, where Terry had to stop, but a sudden disappearance of a thunderstorm before the ride began gave him the strength to carry on.

As the National Ride of Hope heads towards its final destination in St. John’s on July 10, the message of perseverance and hope inspired by Terry Fox continues to resonate with all those touched by his incredible legacy.