One Step at a Time
How Terry Fox Inspired a Nation
It was 1980. I was twelve years old, and for a few months, the nightly news carried the story of a young man running across Canada. His name wasn’t familiar at first, but it soon would be
Every evening, my family gathered around the TV for dinner, watching the Vancouver news. Tony Parsons, the anchor, always seemed calm and steady, his voice wrapping up the day's events. One night, he opened the broadcast with a story about a young man from British Columbia. The man, Terry Fox, had started in St. John’s, Newfoundland, on the eastern edge of Canada, and was running west. His goal: to raise awareness for cancer research.
I wasn’t paying much attention. My brother and sister and I were in the middle of one of our usual arguments over something silly—probably who got the last scoop of mashed potatoes. But then I glanced at the screen and saw him. Terry Fox. His face was determined, his movements uneven. He dunked his prosthetic leg into the pavement with every step.
I froze. He’s going to run across Canada on one leg? I thought. That’s crazy. Canada’s huge. It would take years, wouldn’t it?
The dinner table noise surged again, and I was pulled back into the chaos of our family chatter. Terry’s story faded into the background for the moment, but not for long.
A few weeks later, Terry Fox was back on the news. Tony Parsons spoke about his progress, showing clips of him running. Terry’s gait was awkward, a hop-step driven by the rhythm of his good leg and the delay of his prosthetic. You could see the strain in his face, every step a fight.
By now, my mom was paying attention. She hushed us at the table. “I know someone who works with Terry’s family,” she said, her voice serious. That got our attention. Suddenly, this wasn’t just a story on TV. It was closer.
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As the weeks passed, Terry became a fixture on the news. Tony Parsons reported every evening on his journey—how far he’d gone, how Canadians were turning out to cheer him on. People ran alongside him. Brass bands lined the roads, playing music to spur him forward. It was impossible not to root for him.
But the footage told another story too. Terry struggled. The sores on his foot grew worse. The sweat dripped from his face as he pushed through pain and exhaustion. Still, he didn’t stop.
Then one evening, the tone changed. Tony Parsons looked different—heavier, sadder—as he announced that Terry had developed complications. The cancer had returned, spreading to his lungs. The run across Canada was over.
The next day, Terry held a press conference. His voice broke as he spoke, apologizing for having to stop. After 143 days and 5,373 kilometers, Terry Fox was forced to end his Marathon of Hope.
A year later, on June 28, 1981, Terry died. The country mourned.
But what Terry accomplished didn’t end with his death. He brought Canada together. He showed us courage and determination, and that even one person could make a difference.
Today, his legacy lives on. Terry Fox is a national hero. His face will soon grace the $5 bill, replacing Prime Minister Wilfred Laurier. He didn’t just raise money or awareness for cancer—he inspired a nation.
I think back to those dinners, the noise of our family, the moments of quiet when we stopped to watch him run. Terry Fox made us all believe in something bigger. He reminded us that nothing is impossible when you put your heart into it.
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