hot wasabi peas

Probably one of the most inspirational people in my life was, and still is, Terry Fox. I always have a picture of him somewhere in my home just to remind myself that the ordinary can be extraordinary and tremendous potential of humanitarian effort.

I cried like hell when he died.

His story is probably all over media in Canada given it's the usual day for the 'Terry Fox Run'.... but I post these links for people who might not know about him.

http://www.cbc.ca/terryfox/main.html
http://archives.cbc.ca/IDD-1-74-71/people/terry_fox/
http://www.terryfoxrun.org/

"I bet some of you feel sorry for me. Well don't. Having an artificial leg has its advantages. I've broken my right knee many times and it doesn't hurt a bit." - TF

Wannabe

He's a source of inspiration... I often think about him when I find life to be a bit on the tough side - always helps.

cov-canuck

I remember we had a series of illustrated books for kids with cartoony pictures about inspirational people and people who made a difference. The only ones I remember clearly was one about Louis Pasteur and his cure for rabies, because the picture of the dog foaming at the mouth and the kid who'd been bitten covered in blood and crying scared the hell out of me, and the Terry Fox one. I'd completely forgotten about him/it until recently, when I spotted the name on CBC.ca. I was born in '79, so I missed it all the first time around.

Molson 03

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...366740-8439633

A very good book we picked up in Halifax airport. Worth the wait!

debbyathome

I was up at Thunder Bay a few weeks ago where he had to finish his run and they have a big statue of him up on a hill it is very immpressive and it gave me a shiver to see it

Crispie

It has been a privilege to learn his story afresh having just come here.
The kids all took toonies into school on Friday for fund raising and took part in an around the playing fields run. The kids were all given those mock tattoos to stick on with the 'Terry Fox Run' logo. My boys had them on their faces for some reason.
The very dated documentary film was on all the TV channels and was actually the first Canadian TV I have watched. Despite the awful production quality the story is an inspiration.

R2D2

Ditto....I had never heard of Terry Fox until our recent move here and like you I watched the programme about him with admiration of his amazing strengh of character. Cried on and off all the way through it.

CalgaryBlade

A huge Canadian hero.

I went to my children's school on Friday for their run. The assembled in the gym to watch a "Terry" video. Many of the mums were in tears.

Watched the TV special on Friday evening and my wife was in tears all the way through.

Today I went down to Eau Claire for the Terry Fox run with my 9 year old daughter, the turn out was huge and it was all very moving.

The total raised in his name is getting up to $400 million CAD. Amazing and awe inspiring.

AnnetteM

Terry Fox is the only person I have ever considered a true hero. Living close to him and his family it was a story we followed from the very beginning, and we were in England on holiday the day he died. My daughter phoned to tell me and I couldn't stop crying. And 25 years later, his story still brings me to tears. He was such an unassuming young fellow, so ordinary and likeable. Such courage and determination. A true inspiration to everyone.

CalgaryBlade

After living in Canada and learning more about him (as well as being a mid-packer runner), I completely agree.

From a sporting point of view, his story is a refreshing change from greedy soccer/hockey players and other drug-taking "superstars". Anybody who can motivate 3.5 million school children to run for up to an hour must be praised. If only a small percentage of those children take up a sport or exercise, imagine how beneficial that will be. Additonally, many adults interviewed over the weekend were saying how they had been inspired to give up smkoing and/or take up exercise by the TF runs.

Apparently, he is also a role-model for amputees making them feel that their disability is in someways "cool" because Terry only had one leg and it didn't stop him from running.

And finally as far as uniting Canadians goes he seems to have no equal.

One of the speakers at the run yesterday (it may have been the mayor) said the only time he had ever seen his father cry was when he learnt of TF's death.