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Terry Fox: The True Story of a Real-Life Superhero
The incredible life and legacy of a Canadian icon
If you’re Canadian, I don’t have to say anything more than the name Terry Fox.
But if you’re from another country — and have never heard of him before — this is a look at a real-life superhero who, in 1980, would run across Canada on one leg to raise money and awareness for cancer research.
The Early Days of Terry Fox
As a young kid, Fox was fiercely competitive. He hated to lose more than anything. He seemed like one of those kids who hated to lose more than he loved to win and would keep going at any activity until he succeeded in it. Fox was involved in many sports but had a fondness for basketball. But because of his shorter height, he wasn’t the ideal choice for the high school team. The basketball coach encouraged him to try cross-country running.
Fox wanted to do whatever it took to play basketball, and if running cross-country would impress the coach, he would do it. But his fierce determination to succeed pushed him in his running and basketball pursuits and in grade 12, he was his school’s athlete of the year.
But in 1976, an accident happened that changed the course of his life. While driving home, Fox crashed into the…
