THUNDER BAY – Terry Fox ended his run nearly 30 years before Brittany Paul was born.
But Fox and his Marathon of Hope still have a strong influence over the Grade 4 students and her classmates at Holy Family School.
On Thursday the youngster took part in the school’s annual Terry Fox walk, helping to raise money for cancer research.
It’s something she looks forward to every year.
“I like how we raise money for cancer. I think it’s really nice,” Brittany said, before leaving the schoolyard with her teachers and classmates in tow in support of Fox, whose run ended on Sept. 1, 1980, just east of Thunder Bay.
He’s still an inspiration, she added.
“I know he was trying to raise money for cancer until he had to stop. I think he was courageous,” Brittany said.
Cale Gagnon, 6, was taking part in his third Terry Fox celebration at the Rosslyn Road school.
Like Brittany, the Grade 1 student said it’s for a great cause.
“We’re raising money for Terry Fox,” he said. “I learned it’s important because he raised lots of money for cancer.”
School principal Ryan Gatto said over the nine years the Holy Family community has been taking part in the event, they’ve managed to raise more than $26,000.
It’s an easy cause to get behind, he added.
“We’re really impressed with our students and our families. Anytime we ask any of our staff and families to jump on any initiative, they jump on it. They have just a loving, caring community of adults and kids here,” Gatto said.
“Terry Fox just means so much to Thunder Bay, where he stopped his run. This just makes the legacy live on forever.”
Fox and what he meant to the nation transcends generations, Gatto said.
“It’s important for us to carry (his legacy) on in the schools, because if we don’t carry it on, the legacy dies. These students here are the next generation who are going to be carrying on the cancer research, the legacy of Terry, and every one of these kids is probably touched by cancer in some sort of way. They have that connection to Terry and this just brings us all together as a school community,” Gatto said.
