Justin Bieber is the most well known Canadian celebrity today, especially with the youth. I decided this needs to be changed. Today, I will inform the public of Canada's hero, Terry Fox. His life is the most inspirational story I have ever heard.
Fox was born on July 28, 1958, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His family settled in Port Coquitlam in 1968. Fox was a very athletic student in his school years, playing basketball, baseball, cross country, soccer, and rugby. In his senior year of high school he won the athlete of the year award. He attended Simon Fraser University.
In March 1977 Fox had severe pain in his right knee and went to a hospital to get it checked out. He was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. Fox had to amputate his leg and there was only a 50% chance he would survive. Fox survived the amputation and was able to walk three weeks after it. He now had an artificial leg.
His experience at the hospital made him realize how little money was dedicated to cancer research at the time. After being inspired from an article he read on Dick Traum, the first New York City amputee to run the New York City Marathon, Fox hatched an ambitious plan. He would run across the entire country of Canada to raise money and awareness for cancer. Fox wanted every person in Canada to donate at least one dollar, which would mean he would raise 24 million dollars for cancer research. The total length of his planned run was 5,000 miles (8,000 kilometers).
On April 12, 1980, Fox began the Marathon of Hope in St. Johns, Newfoundland. 1/3 of the way into his journey he had collected over 200,000 dollars in donations. He also had the backings of almost 1,000 corporations that had pledged to donate two dollars for every mile Fox ran. Everyday Fox ran at least 26 miles. The toll on his body was huge. He suffered from several injuries and even got tendinitis, but Fox pushed through everyday, refusing to give up. As he ran his fame grew. Thousands of people would greet him when he arrived in their area. One day he visited a city and raised 100,000 dollars.
Unfortunately, the pain became too much. On September 1, Fox had to be dropped off at the hospital where he found out his cancer had returned and had spread to his lungs. Fox was forced to end his run 143 days in. He had ran 3,339 miles (5,373 kilometers). The disease took his life on June 28, 1981.
Fox is the prime example of the saying, "if you put your mind to it, anything is possible." This man put himself through hell everyday to improve the lives of others. What he did was unprecedented and has not been repeated. So lets spread the story of Terry Fox around the world. Please promote this post to other people. Let people think of him when they think of Canada and not Bieber.
This has been the ninth installment of my Interesting Biographies series. Follow my blog for more biographies in the future. Also read my previous biographies. Leave a comment if there is someone you want me to do a biography on.
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