ORILLIA: The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) shared an announcement, expressing their excitement about welcoming Fred Fox, brother of Terry Fox, to their General Headquarters in the City of Orillia-Municipality, on Sept. 1, 2022.
OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique, stated that, “Current and retired officers, who escorted Terry Fox in 1980, shared their experienced and stories.” They continue to support the annual Terry Fox Foundation Run.
According to the Terry Fox Foundation, (TFF) “The annual Terry Fox Run has become a fall tradition in Canada, with more than 650 communities, big and small, urban and rural, English and French, fundraising for cancer research. This year you can register and participate on Sunday, Sept. 18.”
Several special anecdotes were shared by TFF, about what Terry was experiencing on August, 31, 1980.
They, shared how while on route to Thunder Bay, ON., Terry Fox gave a speech in Wawa that expressed his intentions to continue his “Marathon of Hope” in spite of not sleeping well and about what laid ahead of him. “No matter how tired or fatigued or sore I get, I’m going to keep going, and going and going. And I’m not going to give up. I will never give up. I’m going to keep going as hard as I can,” stated Terry Fox.
His foundation also shared how on Sept. 1, 1980, near Thunder Bay, Terry ran as hundreds of supporters cheered him on. He was experiencing a lot of pain and after returning to his van he asked his brother Doug to take him to a hospital. Later that day Terry found out that his cancer had returned.
He ran his last mile of the “Marathon of Hope”, completing 21 miles that day, Sept 1,1980, and 3,339 miles in total.
Today, Terry Fox continues to have a huge impact on the lives of so many cancer survivors, their families, friends and communities who come together every year to continue what Terry started many years ago.
On Sept.1, 2022 at the Ontario Provincial Police Headquarters in Orillia OPP officers not only greeted Terry’s brother Fred Fox, but two retired OPP officers who escorted Terry in 1980, shared their own memories of that day as well. The two officers, Carl Eggiman, and Mary Hardisty, both escorted Terry Fox on that day, during his “Marathon of Hope”. They along with other current and retired OPP officers continue to support Terry’s foundation run every year.
The Orillia detachment of the OPP, remind and encourage all of us to join their officers on Sept. 18, for the Terry Fox Run and continue to support what Terry Fox started on Sept. 1,1980—42 years ago.