THUNDER BAY — Continuing his brother Terry’s legacy by inspiring Canadians across the country, Fred Fox is in classrooms educating young learners.
Fred Fox visited three local elementary schools on Wednesday, sharing the impact that past classes at the school have had while raising money for cancer research.
“It was amazing to be here,” he said.
Fox stopped by Nor'wester View Public School, Gorham and Ware Community Public School and Holy Family Elementary School and said he frequently travels to schools across the country, educating children and sharing the story of his brother’s journey.
“I probably do 100 to 130 schools a year in the fall and in the spring, but this is a first for me,” he said.
Thrilled to join the kids on their first day, Fox said it’s important to recognize the effort children across the country have made towards the Terry Fox Foundation.
“To be able to get here to say thank you… in person to three of the schools in the area for what they do 45 years later, raising much-needed money for cancer research, and that's what Terry wanted all of us to do,” Fox said.
“So, it's always important to say thank you to schools, volunteers, and those who make donations to the Terry Fox Foundation.”
Fox said his brother is still the driving force behind the initiative.
“Terry knew that there was going to be a Terry Fox run before he passed away, but he could never have imagined that it would still be going 45 years later,” he said.
Without the education system in Canada, Fred said Terry’s memory wouldn’t live on.
“When it comes to the movement continuing in schools, it's because of educators, it's because of schools who share Terry's story as part of the curriculum,” he said.
Outside of his brother's story, Fox said that schools are teaching children across the country the importance of humility.
“They know that they're making a difference,” he said. “Terry would be so proud to know that his message of continuing it because he couldn't is still happening.”
Nor'wester View's principal, Kristi Lees, said she was proud to host Fox on the first day of school.
“We were really fortunate enough for the Terry Fox Foundation to reach out to us and let us know that Fred Fox wanted to come see us,” Lees said.
The school’s commitment to honouring Terry Fox and sharing his story is amazing, she said.
“The Terry Fox run and their purpose, their movement is very important to our school and always has been in our community, and so we really thought that it was the best way to start off the year in a memorable way,” she said.
Lees said she hopes the children take away some inspiration from the Fox family’s efforts towards cancer research.
“You can do anything if you try, and that's what we hope all our students will do this year,” she said.
Fox also also stopped by Gorham and Ware Community Public School on Wednesday to speak with students there.
