A Not-So-Quiet Passing - At least here

[Lafleur]

[COLOR=DarkRed]Yes, folks, yesterday was the 25th aniversity of Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope. I don't know what it's like in the US or Europe, but in Canada, we run a nation-wide fundraiser for Terry's cause - to cure cancer. We run, just like he did. We run to raise money - and raise money we do, millions every year. We collect money - and by we, I mean the runners - by having people pledge to us: i.e, for every lap we run, somone gives us 10 dollars, or somone gives us 20 dollars no matter how far we run. It's truly a touching event - 25 years on, and Terry's dream is still gaining steam. For those of ye who, somehow, do not know his story, here it is:

Terry Fox was not a very good athlete - his key was determination. When he was cut from the track team, he ran each and every day - so next season, they made him Captain. He was really an amazing guy - but than he contracted Cancer above his knee. In order to save his life, his leg was amputated. That wouldn't stop Terry. He'd heard about 1-legged-runners just before his operation. Terry, in his determination, learned how to run again. So he, and his best friend Doug, flew down to Newfoundland - Terry dipped his good leg into the Atlantic Ocean, and he was off. He ran a marathon a day on one leg - a feat on its own - for over 100 days. Virtually unkown at the start, little by little he gathered steam. His dream was to raise 1 dollar for every Canadian - 24 Million at the time. Sadly, he never accomplished this. The cancer spread to his lungs - and in Thunder Bay, Ontario, he became to sick to run. He died shortly after. A year after his death, a massive nation-wide fundraiser - the first Terry Fox Run - raised 24 Million Dollars. His dream was acomplished - but it did not stop there. Millions upon millions have been raised over these 25 years. He was truely a hero.

This year, Canada set a Guiness World Record for the largest orginsed event across the country - well over 4 million people ran yesterday, and I was one of them. I personally ran 5 laps - over 4 Kilometers - and raised 200 dollars.

So this is my question: did anyone else run yesterday? Did anyone else raise money for the Terry Fox Orginisation, did anyone else honour the name of this incredible man? [/COLOR]

[Godelsensei]

I didn't actually run, but I did walk a couple of kilometers in the pouring rain, and donated at least a small amount of money, so yeah, I took part.

I think my school was actually featured on Global last night.

It's pretty neat that the marathon is held all over the world--Asia, Europe...

[Retribution]

[size=1]I have no idea who this guy is before I read this thread. I had no idea it was a special day yesterday. Yesterday I went bowling with my soccer team, because we had the day off (Teacher Planning Day).

He sounds very impressive - a marathon a day in and of itself is amazing, but on a prosthetic leg, no less! I hope that yesterday raised a great sum of money for his cause.[/size]

[Kassandra]

Well, I live in Canada too, so I obviously know Terry Fox. One of the schools in my district is named after him. My school took part in it. I donated ten bucks. (Well, actually, my mom did.) We did the it yesterday at 9AM in the rain. Most people walked, but some chose to run. I was one of the walkers, hehe. (Not that I'm lazy or anything though cause I ran every day of August this summer, but I hate running in the rain.)

My mom and brother are watching a Terry Fox movie on tv right now.

[r2vq]

Apparently a lot of high schools were very into it this year.

I don't know about my school, but somebody was sick in my household so I had to stay home to take care of them.

It's cool how he's like a Canadian hero.

-ArV

[Lafleur]

[QUOTE=Retribution][size=1]I have no idea who this guy is before I read this thread. I had no idea it was a special day yesterday. Yesterday I went bowling with my soccer team, because we had the day off (Teacher Planning Day).

He sounds very impressive - a marathon a day in and of itself is amazing, but on a prosthetic leg, no less! I hope that yesterday raised a great sum of money for his cause.[/size][/QUOTE]
[COLOR=DarkRed]
Over 300,000,000 has been raised since 1980, so considering this is the largest single orginised event in history, I'd imagine it's one hell of a lot. No matter how much money has been raised, a run of this size has to have opened up a whole lot of eyes to the sturggle of this one man, as well as the horrors of Cancer.

One of my favourite qoutes belongs to Terry Fox. It was shortly after being kicked off the highway in Quebec, and than almost being killed by a semi, when Doug said they should just skip Quebec because they hadn't raised even a thousand dollars since they entered. He said: "I can't skip Quebec, people die of cancer here too.". Truely a great me.[/COLOR]

[r2vq]

[quote name='Ilium][COLOR=DarkRed']Truely a great me.[/COLOR][/quote]

A great [I]what[/I]? lol. I'm sure that was a typo...

What gets me most about Terry Fox is that he didn't finish his run. He pretty much ran until it was physically impossible. He shows strength and true character.

-ArV

[celestialcharm]

[COLOR=DarkOrchid]At my school, we walked on friday. Since it was raining, we had to walk around the gym. I haven't donated any money yet this year, but since their still collecting money at school, I'll donate some.

I was talking to my sisters about Terry Fox, and they remembered the documentary they showed in elementary school. They said that made them think Terry Fox was mean because it showed him angry and frustrated all the time. I saw this documentary too. Did anyone else see it?[/COLOR]

[Roxie Faye]

[color=#9933ff]I've never actually heard of this day, but all the fundraising, and the man behind it, Terry Fox sounds amazing. I think that's really really great that many many people in Canada raise money to honor him. After you described him, Ilium, I find myself admiring him for the way he carried on, with only one real leg. That takes a lot of strength.[/color]