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Starting in 1984, Steve Fonyo ran across Canada to raise money and awareness for cancer research. Source: https://www.pressreader.com/canada/ottawa-citizen (May be subject to copyright) |
I was working on the painting crew for Housing and Food Services at the University of Alberta in Edmonton in the summer of 1993. We were taking a break by the shop and I noticed this pile of junk.
Back then, the university had these signs they used to identify buildings and facilities. They were brown square posts with white lettering running down the side.
At the bottom of that pile of junk was a beat up, slightly twisted sign with “Steve Fonyo Track” stencilled on it.
All I could think was, “How sad is that.”
Marathon of Hope
One of Canada’s greatest heroes was Terry Fox. He had lost his leg to cancer, but would not let that define him. Instead, in 1980 he vowed to run across Canada to raise money and awareness of cancer and cancer research. His goal was to raise one dollar for every Canadian. His journey was called he Marathon of Hope.
One of Canada’s greatest heroes was Terry Fox. He had lost his leg to cancer, but would not let that define him. Instead, in 1980 he vowed to run across Canada to raise money and awareness of cancer and cancer research. His goal was to raise one dollar for every Canadian. His journey was called he Marathon of Hope.
Then, just outside Thunder Bay, Ontario, with the Marathon of Hope gaining momentum, the cancer was now in his lungs. He stopped his journey, but vowed to be back.
Terry Fox died a few months later.
The question was, would someone pick up the torch and finish Fox’s journey across Canada.
The answer would be yes, and his name was Steve Fonyo.
Journey for Lives
Steve Fonyo, like Terry Fox, had lost a leg to cancer. When he was 12, his left leg was amputated above the knee to prevent the spread of bone cancer.
Steve Fonyo, like Terry Fox, had lost a leg to cancer. When he was 12, his left leg was amputated above the knee to prevent the spread of bone cancer.
When he was 18, he decided to run across Canada to raise money and awareness for cancer research.
He called his effort “The Journey for Lives”. On March 31, 1984 he dipped his toe in the Atlantic Ocean and filled a jar with ocean water.
Fonyo proceeded to run across Canada, and I recall the news chronicling his journey every step of the way. A total of 425 days later, on May 29, 1985, he arrived at the Pacific Ocean in British Columbia.
The event was broadcast live on national television and I clearly remember watching it. He approached the water, and dipped his foot in the Pacific Ocean.
Then he dumped the jar of water from the Atlantic Ocean into the Pacific Ocean.
Steve Fonyo had made it. He had run across Canada.
In the process, he ran 7,924 kilometres, which equates to 4,924 miles, and raised $14 million for cancer research.
In 1985, he was named a Member of the Order of Canada, the youngest person to receive that honour to that point in time. The running track at the University of Alberta had also been named the Steve Fonyo Track.
Fall from grace
In the years to follow, Steve Fonyo would succumb to drug addiction, run into trouble with the law, do some time in jail, suffer a brain injury as a result of an altercation, and fall prey to mental illness. As a result of his legal difficulties, he had his Membership in the Order of Canada taken away.
In the years to follow, Steve Fonyo would succumb to drug addiction, run into trouble with the law, do some time in jail, suffer a brain injury as a result of an altercation, and fall prey to mental illness. As a result of his legal difficulties, he had his Membership in the Order of Canada taken away.
On February 18, 2022, Steve Fonyo died in hospital. He was 56 years old.
Parting thoughts
The story of Steve Fonyo is a tragedy that I have seen in a different light over the years. He did run afoul of the law, but he battled addiction and mental health issues. In the light of today, he would be treated with more sensitivity, sympathy, and understanding, because we know far more about addiction and mental illness.
The story of Steve Fonyo is a tragedy that I have seen in a different light over the years. He did run afoul of the law, but he battled addiction and mental health issues. In the light of today, he would be treated with more sensitivity, sympathy, and understanding, because we know far more about addiction and mental illness.
Yet, Steve Fonyo was the victim of what we now call “Cancel Culture”. He had his Order of Canada stripped away, and his efforts and achievements have been cast on the scrap pile of history – literally.
Whether fairly, or not, he was always compared to Terry Fox, and that was like battling a ghost. Terry Fox is one of Canada’s greatest heroes, and he died in the pursuit of his goal to help others. That is impossible to live up to.
And no one should have to, or be expected to.
The other thing I have thought about in researching this post is something Scott Radley of the Hamilton Spectator talked about. He said we are supposed to be more enlightened about addiction and mental illness. Yet the cancellation of Steve Fonyo seems unfair, given he was raising money for charity. He wondered if this would have happened if Fonyo had not attracted the pressure of fame and expectations he was not equipped to handle.
I agree with Scott Radley.
It makes seeing that Steve Fonyo sign, literally at the bottom of a junk pile, so heart breaking.
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