The Canada Atlas

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Terry Fox

Marathon of Hope · 1958-1981

Terry Fox
Gordon Leggett · CC BY-SA 4.0

Ran a marathon a day on one leg for 143 days and raised more money dead than any athlete alive.

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Life story

  1. July 28, 1958 · Port Coquitlam, British Columbia
    Born in Winnipeg; the family moved to Port Coquitlam when he was eight
  2. March 9, 1977 · Port Coquitlam
    Had his right leg amputated above the knee after a bone cancer diagnosis
  3. April 12, 1980 · St. John's, Newfoundland
    Dipped his leg in the Atlantic at St. John's and started running west
  4. July 11, 1980 · Toronto
    Ran into Toronto to a crowd of 10,000 at Nathan Phillips Square
  5. September 1, 1980 · Thunder Bay, Ontario
    Stopped outside Thunder Bay after 5,373 km; the cancer had reached his lungs
  6. June 28, 1981 · New Westminster, British Columbia
    Died at New Westminster at 22; the annual run has since raised over $850 million

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Sources