A look back on Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope

From the archives of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library:

As Terry’s Marathon of Hope drew closer to Sault Ste. Marie, the growing excitement was reflected in local media.

As he made his way through Algoma – over halfway across Canada – the Sault Star described the now-familiar scene: Terry’s distinctive gait as he ran on his artificial leg, the blisters from the gruelling days spent running, terrible sunburns, the crowds of spectators, media, and fundraising volunteers that accompanied him.

According to Terry’s best friend and driver, Doug Alward, Terry appreciated the quieter, less-populated landscape of Northern Ontario. He was worn out from the constant receptions and interviews that he experienced down south; Terry reportedly slept better and ran further in the north.

But that isn’t to imply that there weren’t crowds locally, either. In Bruce Mines, spectators and supporters started watching the main street a full day before Terry was set to arrive. In Iron Bridge, he was “greeted with a royal welcome” and left a signed plate behind at Griggs’ Village Inn as a reminder of his run.

At Maple Ridge, between Iron Bridge and Thessalon, a carnival raised $963 for Terry, surpassing the original goal by almost double – including a very generous donation from the Thessalon Lions Club. The event, held at The Round Barn, highlighted English horse riding, model airplanes, fortune telling, organ music, and plenty of hot dogs.

As he approached the Sault, local excitement continued to grow. The Sault Star ran an editorial, saying that “Up till this time this young man has been the recipient of our best wishes, our respect, our prayers. When he reaches the Sault he should be the recipient of our cheers and our applause and of our generous donations to the cause that is so dear to him, the fight against cancer.” They also devoted large ad space to Terry, with inspirational messages. “You’re halfway, Terry. We’re with you ALL THE WAY,” read the newspapers.

On the way to the Sault, Terry was briefly sidelined. A spring snapped in his artificial leg, forcing him to stop near Squirrel Island, halfway between Echo Bay and Garden River; his leg went on to Sault Ste. Marie without him to be repaired and checked over.

However, he was soon off and running again. On Aug. 12, 1980, he stopped for a reception at the Civic Centre, where thousands of people stopped to see him, greeting him with what the papers described as a spontaneous roar of applause.

More donations continued to roll in locally, including $500 from the Garden River Indian band. CKCY ran a radio fundraiser, bringing in $15,000 over the course of a couple of days. Some local businesses even donated their day’s profits to Terry’s cause as he ran through town. Apparently, to the delight of the crowd gathered at the reception, Sault Ste. Marie “was leading Sudbury… by a ratio of two to one in pledges.”

Saultites also turned out in droves to watch him on his route through the city; “people lined the streets for as long as two hours to cheer him on.”

Terry noted the warm reception he received, saying, “I can’t remember any place I’ve been where people welcomed me the way that you have.”

Once he left Sault Ste. Marie, attention quickly turned to the Montreal River Hill. The Sault Star proclaimed it to be Terry’s “toughest hill yet,” while Terry Fox was apparently less concerned with it, telling people that “a hill’s just a hill.”

Observers, including Gerry Demers, who owned Agawa Crafts at the time, reported that he ran the hill “non-stop” and with “no problem.” Ultimately, just a couple of weeks later, Terry Fox was forced to stop his run outside of Thunder Bay. He announced that his cancer had returned and spread to his lungs. He would die in June of 1981, at the age of 22.

Each week, the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library and its Archives provides SooToday readers with a glimpse of the city’s past.

Find out more of what the Public Library has to offer at www.ssmpl.ca and look for more Remember This? columns here