The Terry Fox Run
On Thursday my school collected change and participated in The Terry Fox Run. Like most Canadians I know the just of Fox's life. He had an amputated leg. He started running across Canada. He died of cancer before he could finish. This morning Terry Fox was simply these 3 statements to me. At lunch some staff members were discussing how they hoped the kids understood that the walk we were doing in the afternoon wasn't just an opportunity to get out of school. They hoped that kids understood what Terry Fox was really about.
I was inspired and headed to my room and found THIS video a few minutes before the bell rang. I didn't get a chance to preview, but it was produced by ESPN, so I threw caution to the wind and started it when my students got settled in.
I sat at the front of the room in my desk, arms crossed tightly in front of me, barely holding it together for the entire 9 minute video. I thought of how incredible it is that a 20-year old man could live such a big dream. I thought about how difficult it must have been for him. I thought about how his mom must have felt. I thought about Tripp.
After the video I wanted to say a few things to summarize how incredible Fox's journey was, but I couldn't talk. I knew that if I tried to say what an remarkably courageous, inspiring young man Fox was I would start crying. So instead, we headed out into the sunshine and walked. I was inspired. I hope that a few students were inspired as well.
That night I read more about Fox on Wikipedia and on The Terry Fox Foundation's website.
Terry Fox began his journey hoping to raise one million dollars towards cancer research. To date over $550 million has been raised. Wow.
I think Pierre Elliot Trudeau said it best after Fox's passing: "It occurs very rarely in the life of a nation that the courageous spirit of one person unites all people in the celebration of his life and in the mourning of his death ... We do not think of him as one who was defeated by misfortune but as one who inspired us with the example of the triumph of the human spirit over adversity"
Terry Fox is so much more than 3 simple statements.
I was inspired and headed to my room and found THIS video a few minutes before the bell rang. I didn't get a chance to preview, but it was produced by ESPN, so I threw caution to the wind and started it when my students got settled in.
I sat at the front of the room in my desk, arms crossed tightly in front of me, barely holding it together for the entire 9 minute video. I thought of how incredible it is that a 20-year old man could live such a big dream. I thought about how difficult it must have been for him. I thought about how his mom must have felt. I thought about Tripp.
After the video I wanted to say a few things to summarize how incredible Fox's journey was, but I couldn't talk. I knew that if I tried to say what an remarkably courageous, inspiring young man Fox was I would start crying. So instead, we headed out into the sunshine and walked. I was inspired. I hope that a few students were inspired as well.
That night I read more about Fox on Wikipedia and on The Terry Fox Foundation's website.
Terry Fox began his journey hoping to raise one million dollars towards cancer research. To date over $550 million has been raised. Wow.
I think Pierre Elliot Trudeau said it best after Fox's passing: "It occurs very rarely in the life of a nation that the courageous spirit of one person unites all people in the celebration of his life and in the mourning of his death ... We do not think of him as one who was defeated by misfortune but as one who inspired us with the example of the triumph of the human spirit over adversity"
Terry Fox is so much more than 3 simple statements.
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