The legacy, and the van, live on

BY A.L. SMITH

NovaNewsNow.com

Terry Fox’s message has resonated with Canadians for nearly 30 years since his “Marathon of Hope” began. Even those too young to have memories of the event itself know the iconic image of a lone runner trailed by a van down a barren stretch of highway.

Fox was quoted as saying, “I want to set an example that will never be forgotten.” While cancer research still has a long way to go for a cure, it’s safe to say that one of Terry’s goals has been realized.

On Saturday, June 7, a piece of his incredible journey made its way to Kings County. Terry’s older brother Fred brought his 1980 Ford Econoline van, completely restored, to Lockhart and Ryan Memorial Park in New Minas. The engine ran smoothly, but with its faux wood paneling and shag carpet, the vehicle is certainly a throwback.

The van became part of the legend when Terry made the decision to run across the country, a full 85,000 km, to raise money for cancer research. He looked for donations to get him started and Ford Canada came on board by donating the customized camper van. Complete with a kitchen, chemical toilet and enough room to sleep six, the van became Terry’s home, mile marker and an undeniable piece of Canadiana.

For the next four-and-a-half months, its odometer tracked Terry’s astonishing 5,374 km trek. Its interior served as his refuge and resting place, and when his run ended in Thunder Bay, Ontario, it transported him to hospital.

While the Marathon of Hope lived on, the van faded into obscurity. It was driven to Toronto and disappeared.



Heavy metal band had used the van

It wasn’t until author Douglas Coupland released his book Terry in 2005 that the van resurfaced. He was approached at a party by a man who said he knew who owned the van and Coupland contacted Darrell Fox, Terry’s younger brother and director of the Terry Fox Foundation. The two tracked it down in a Vancouver neighborhood and met Bill Johnston, the van’s owner since the early 1980s.

Johnston had used the van to tour his heavy metal band, Removal. It had traveled approximately 200,000 kilometres around North America, transporting the band to California, New York, and a host of places in-between.

Despite the intense travel, the Fox family was relieved to see that the van had remained essentially the same. Johnston said he always knew the story of the van, and he hadn’t changed it to preserve the positive energy left from Terry’s run.

Ford Canada took the vehicle back to its shop to restore it to mint 1980 condition. The reconstruction was extensive, but everything was put back into place, including the shag carpeting. Then The Terry Fox Foundation decided to send Fred onto the road to share this piece of Canadian culture with a nation that hasn’t forgotten.

Started again in St. John’s

The tour of hope started off just as Terry’s marathon did, in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Dignitaries and community members greeted Fred and his van-mates enthusiastically when they reached New Minas. He led the crowd on a trail walk and then spoke about his brother and the qualities that have made his legacy so long-lasting.

“The last night before amputation, I remember being in hospital room and all I could say was, ‘Terry, why you?’ Without hesitation he said: ‘Why not me? I’ve been told all my life I’m too small, I’m not good enough. This is just another challenge I have to overcome.’ He decided then that he was going to make a difference in this country.”

Similar stories of Terry’s character echoed in the park that day.

“It was his courage,” said Jerry O’Brien, a local man who has yet to miss a Terry Fox Run. “I used to run myself and I couldn’t imagine running a marathon, 26 miles, every day. He wouldn’t stop; he kept going. If that isn’t courage, I don’t know what is.”

O’Brien says it’s this example that keeps him going. Terry Fox was such an inspirational individual that when he died I decided, “As long as I’m able….”

The Tour of Hope will continue all summer, with 50 planned stops on their way to Victoria, British Columbia, but Fred hopes to make many more.

“We want to share Terry’s van, where he slept, found sanctuary, his home away from home.”

Fred also wants people who didn’t have the chance to experiences Terry’s journey first-hand to see a physical component of it. He spoke of those west of Thunder Bay and especially Canada’s youth.

“The young people continuing his legacy are very inspiring,” he said. “Terry’s a perfect example of not giving up and trying your hardest. That’s the legacy and that’s why this campaign has continued.”

But what made Terry’s run so special? Fred says, “I think his character, his honesty and integrity; the idea of having a goal and never giving up. Especially for the young, he’s a perfect example of not giving up and trying your hardest. That’s the legacy and that’s why it has continued.”