*This* Famous Musician Dedicated A Tour To Him, And 14 Other Very, Very, Very, Very Interesting Things You Didn't Know About Terry Fox

" I ’m not ready to leave this world . "

If you’re Canadian, one thing’s for sure: you definitely learned about Terry Fox in school. Or maybe you even participated in the Terry Fox run, which happens every September.

If you don’t know who he was, or need a refresher, here it is.Terry Fox was a Canadian activistwho, after having his leg amputated from bone cancer at 18 years old, embarked on the now-famous Marathon of Hope in 1980. This ambitious run planned to span all the way from the east side of Canada to the west, and was all to raise money for cancer.

Terry Fox passed away in 1981 after doctors suddenly found cancer in his lungs. He was 22 at the time, and he’d run for 143 days and 5,373 kilometres at that point — he stopped running near Thunder Bay, Ontario, and started in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

And since his death in 1981, he has become a huge Canadian legend and his inspiration just keeps growing — andThe Terry Fox Foundationhas raised more than $800 million for cancer research through the Terry Fox Run, which happens every year.

So although most of us Canadians remember Terry Fox’s story from school, there are a bunch of very interesting details about him you may not know — and honestly, regardless of whether or not you’re Canadian, his story is genuinely so inspiring and fascinating.

1.Of course, running on an amputated leg takes so much strength as it is. But the specific type of prosthetic leg he hadwasn’t designed for runningat all, let alone a cross-country marathon, and caused him intense pain during the 143-day run.

2.For his run, Terry asked for26 pairsof Adidas running shoes. He ended up going through 9 shoes on his left leg and used the same shoe on his prosthetic foot the entire time.

3.During the Marathon of Hope, Terry wouldstart running very earlyin the morning — like, 4 to 5 a.m. — and essentially ran the equivalent of one whole marathon every single day.

4.He studied kinesiology at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, and was actually on the varsity basketball team there. He wasn’t the best player, but he simply"out-gutted"everyone else — which, hey, matters the most in the end!

5.And speaking of being an athlete, he even won an award forAthlete of the Yearin his senior year of high school.

6.A car accident may have actuallysaved Terry Fox’s life— because it was only after getting in a car accident that he started having knee problems, leading him to getting diagnosed with bone cancer earlier on.

7.Terry’s reaction to getting diagnosed with bone cancer at age 18 is pretty unique and very inspiring. He was told he had a 50% chance of surviving, to which he said:“I’m not ready to leave this world.”

8.Terry Fox’s legendary story has inspired soooo many artists around the world. For one, Rod Stewartnamed a tour after Terryin 1981, and his song"Never Give Up on a Dream"is dedicated to (and about) Terry.

9.Terry never wanted to take a rest day on the Marathon of Hope,even for his birthday. The only exception was in Montreal, when he took a couple days off because the Cancer Society told him to — other than that, he had zero days off.

10.And speaking of his 22nd birthday, although he still ran 42 kilometres like he did every day, his brother Darrell alsogave him a cake. Terry proceeded to start a food fight with it.

11.Terry Fox planned to do something very cool once he was finished his marathon. Basically, hefilled up a couple bottlesof water from the Atlantic Ocean when he started the run, and planned to dump those bottles in the Pacific Ocean once he’d finished.

12.Terry Fox Runs aren’t limited to Canada — not by a long shot! There have actually been Terry Fox Runs in more than60 countriesso far.

13.They accidentally missed celebrating thehalfway markof the Marathon of Hope, because of a counting error on the odometer.

14.Other than Adidas, Ford Motor Corporation, and Imperial Oil, Terrydidn’t want to acceptsponsorships from any businesses. He said no to endorsing lots of products or allowing them to use the Marathon of Hope for advertising.

15.In one of Terry Fox’sdiary entriesduring the Marathon of Hope, he discussed running in the freezing cold — but he hated running against the wind more than any other kind of weather.

And by the way, this year’s Terry Fox run is scheduled for Sept. 15. It’s for an amazing cause, so you shouldcheck it out!

And one last thing: for more interesting Canadian stuff, check out BuzzFeed Canada onTikTokandInstagram!

Terry Fox is running with a prosthetic leg on a road, followed closely by a support vehicle in the background. He is wearing a "Marathon of Hope" T-shirt and shorts

Terry Fox, wearing a "Marathon of Hope" shirt, runs on a gravel road with a vehicle trailing behind him

Terry Fox sitting in a van labeled "Marathon of Hope" with signs indicating a 5000-mile run across Canada. Other unidentified people are also present in the van

Terry Fox smiling while wearing a T-shirt with the word "Marathon" and a map design on it

A person with a prosthetic leg is sitting with their leg extended. The prosthetic foot touches the floor. The person is wearing a blue sandal on their other foot

Terry Fox, shirtless and wearing shorts, sits by a riverbank drying himself with a towel

A quiet rural road stretches into the distance, lined with trees and telephone poles, as the sun sets on the horizon

Terry Fox, wearing a Marathon of Hope shirt, is greeted warmly by a woman in a busy public setting. Fans and supporters are seen in the background

Terry Fox, wearing a prosthetic leg and sports attire, is accompanied by police officers and supporters during a public event

Terry Fox, wearing a marathon t-shirt, lies back with his hands behind his head while an unidentified man in a shirt and glasses assists him

Terry Fox, lying down and surrounded by microphones, speaks to reporters during an event. People around him are holding out microphones towards him

Rod Stewart performs on stage, wearing a shiny jacket and leopard print pants, while holding a microphone stand

Person with a single leg prosthesis running down a highway with rocky terrain in the background. The back of their shirt reads "Marathon of Hope - 1980."

A man with a prosthetic leg, wearing a t-shirt and shorts, leads a marathon run on a busy road, with supporters and cars following behind

Two individuals swimming in a lake, captured in a candid moment. The person with short hair is submerged up to their shoulders and smiling, the other wears a swim cap and a t-shirt

A large crowd gathers around a group of police officers and community leaders during a street event. Bystanders of various ages observe the scene keenly

Terry Fox running on a road wearing a white T-shirt, shorts, and a prosthetic leg, with a forested background

Terry Fox sits on a lakeshore, massaging his left foot, with a prosthetic leg, a pair of Adidas shoes, and some items placed on the sand beside him

A large crowd gathers at a 1980 event in Metropolitan Toronto for Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope, with a banner welcoming him and a stage visible in the background

Terry Fox stands on a sandy shore with a prosthetic leg, wearing athletic shorts, a "Marathon of Hope" T-shirt, and sneakers, with a lake and forested hills behind him

If you’re Canadian, one thing’s for sure: you definitely learned about Terry Fox in school. Or maybe you even participated in the Terry Fox run, which happens every September.#

Terry Fox passed away in 1981 after doctors suddenly found cancer in his lungs. He was 22 at the time, and he’d run for 143 days and 5,373 kilometres at that point — he stopped running near Thunder Bay, Ontario, and started in St. John’s, Newfoundland.#

And since his death in 1981, he has become a huge Canadian legend and his inspiration just keeps growing — andThe Terry Fox Foundationhas raised more than $800 million for cancer research through the Terry Fox Run, which happens every year.#

So although most of us Canadians remember Terry Fox’s story from school, there are a bunch of very interesting details about him you may not know — and honestly, regardless of whether or not you’re Canadian, his story is genuinely so inspiring and fascinating.#

1.Of course, running on an amputated leg takes so much strength as it is. But the specific type of prosthetic leg he hadwasn’t designed for runningat all, let alone a cross-country marathon, and caused him intense pain during the 143-day run.#

2.For his run, Terry asked for26 pairsof Adidas running shoes. He ended up going through 9 shoes on his left leg and used the same shoe on his prosthetic foot the entire time.#

3.During the Marathon of Hope, Terry wouldstart running very earlyin the morning — like, 4 to 5 a.m. — and essentially ran the equivalent of one whole marathon every single day.#

4.He studied kinesiology at Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, and was actually on the varsity basketball team there. He wasn’t the best player, but he simply"out-gutted"everyone else — which, hey, matters the most in the end!#

5.And speaking of being an athlete, he even won an award forAthlete of the Yearin his senior year of high school.#

6.A car accident may have actuallysaved Terry Fox’s life— because it was only after getting in a car accident that he started having knee problems, leading him to getting diagnosed with bone cancer earlier on.#

7.Terry’s reaction to getting diagnosed with bone cancer at age 18 is pretty unique and very inspiring. He was told he had a 50% chance of surviving, to which he said:“I’m not ready to leave this world.”#

8.Terry Fox’s legendary story has inspired soooo many artists around the world. For one, Rod Stewartnamed a tour after Terryin 1981, and his song"Never Give Up on a Dream"is dedicated to (and about) Terry.#

9.Terry never wanted to take a rest day on the Marathon of Hope,even for his birthday. The only exception was in Montreal, when he took a couple days off because the Cancer Society told him to — other than that, he had zero days off.#

10.And speaking of his 22nd birthday, although he still ran 42 kilometres like he did every day, his brother Darrell alsogave him a cake. Terry proceeded to start a food fight with it.#

11.Terry Fox planned to do something very cool once he was finished his marathon. Basically, hefilled up a couple bottlesof water from the Atlantic Ocean when he started the run, and planned to dump those bottles in the Pacific Ocean once he’d finished.#

12.Terry Fox Runs aren’t limited to Canada — not by a long shot! There have actually been Terry Fox Runs in more than60 countriesso far.#

13.They accidentally missed celebrating thehalfway markof the Marathon of Hope, because of a counting error on the odometer.#

14.Other than Adidas, Ford Motor Corporation, and Imperial Oil, Terrydidn’t want to acceptsponsorships from any businesses. He said no to endorsing lots of products or allowing them to use the Marathon of Hope for advertising.#

15.In one of Terry Fox’sdiary entriesduring the Marathon of Hope, he discussed running in the freezing cold — but he hated running against the wind more than any other kind of weather.#

And by the way, this year’s Terry Fox run is scheduled for Sept. 15. It’s for an amazing cause, so you shouldcheck it out!#

And one last thing: for more interesting Canadian stuff, check out BuzzFeed Canada onTikTokandInstagram!#