Led by Terry Fox's brother, cyclists stop in Thunder Bay, Ont., on National Ride of Hope

Sarah Law · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 24, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 7 minutes ago

As the cyclists came to a halt successful beforehand of the Terry Fox National Historic Monument successful Thunder Bay, Ont., the dependable of cheers subsided into a infinitesimal of silence.

Then came the tears.

It's been 27 years since Darrell Fox past stood beneath his older brother's statue.

Terry Fox was 18 erstwhile helium was diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma, known arsenic bony cancer, successful 1977. His close limb was amputated conscionable supra his knee. 

In April 1980, helium dipped his artificial limb into the Atlantic Ocean and began his trek crossed the state to rise wealth for crab research. However, his Marathon of Hope was chopped abbreviated conscionable extracurricular of Thunder Bay, erstwhile his crab dispersed to his lungs.

Terry Fox died successful June 1981 erstwhile helium was 22 years old. Now, 45 years aft helium began his travel crossed the country, his younger member Darrell Fox and 7 different cyclists are riding from Vancouver to St. John's successful his memory, with the extremity of raising $1 cardinal this summer. 

To date, much than $900 cardinal has been raised successful Terry's sanction done the yearly Terry Fox Run.

"I thought helium was invincible. I didn't deliberation thing could halt Terry Fox. He ran 42 kilometres each time connected an artificial leg," Darrell Fox told CBC News during Monday's sojourn successful the northwestern Ontario city.

"It took a agelong time, a decennary wherever I was moving distant from the Marathon of Hope alternatively of accepting it and embracing it."

The National Ride of Hope began connected June 9 successful Vancouver and has already raised much than $950,000. The cyclists person been visiting communities on the mode to perceive the stories of those touched by Terry Fox's journey.

"I ne'er tyre of them," Darrell Fox said. "I've been absorbing Terry Fox stories of those that not lone person been inspired by Terry but person gone done crab and [are] connected the different side, and consciousness thankful due to the fact that of the concern we've made successful crab research."

'I was empowered by Terry today'

Dozens of radical flocked to the monument to conscionable Darrell Fox and his team, including Gloria Nacinovic.

She remembers erstwhile Terry Fox passed done Red Rock aft she'd conscionable finished her crab attraction for lymphoma, and brought a poster signed by him to Monday's gathering.

"I went up, introduced myself and said, 'I get wherefore you're doing this and convey you,'" she recalled. "He was astir gracious and his entourage was astir gracious."

Seeing Darrell Fox and his squad successful Thunder Bay "is a existent testament to Terry and the radical that are astir Terry, and to different survivors."

"It's conscionable astonishing to spot this marathon continue," Nacinovic said.

Before arriving astatine the monument, the cyclists rode beneath an archway of pinkish paddles, held up by members of the Dragons of Hope.

The squad of bosom crab survivors paddle to rise consciousness astir bosom crab and supply enactment to survivors.

"We telephone this the champion small squad you ne'er privation to join," said subordinate Robyn Czerwinski, who was diagnosed with bosom crab successful 2022.

"I was 9 years aged erstwhile Terry didn't marque it to Thunder Bay. I was a schoolhouse kid who was waiting to get connected a schoolhouse autobus to travel retired to the highway, to beryllium connected the broadside of the roadworthy to cheer him on, and that didn't hap — and it's a halfway memory," she shared.

Being capable to conscionable Darrell Fox successful specified a peculiar spot was an honour, she said, particularly arsenic the request for crab probe continues.

Thunder Bay metropolis councillor Dominic Pasqualino has mislaid 2 sisters to cancer. One died astatine property 26 to bosom cancer, and different bushed bosom crab but was aboriginal diagnosed with a sarcoma and died astatine 58.

"I person 2 relatives locally that are battling crab close now, and it's tough," Pasqualino said. "I person 2 grandkids. I'd similar to spot them beryllium capable to beryllium live and say, 'yeah, crab is beat.'"

Addressing the assemblage astatine the monument, Darrell Fox admitted helium wasn't definite helium would beryllium capable to proceed the trek beyond Thunder Bay, wherever his member was forced to extremity his journey. 

But conscionable earlier Monday's thrust began, the thunderstorm that had threatened their advancement disappeared.

"That was Terry's connection for america to support going and support strong," Darrell Fox said. "I was empowered by Terry today  I'm acceptable to find my mode to St. John's."

The National Ride of Hope is planned to extremity connected July 10 successful Newfoundland and Labrador's capital.