Heroes

I had the honour of attending the Army Week Mess Dinner last night, where I met so many of our inspiring men and women in uniform. iRun is proud to be a sponsor of the Army Run, probably the fastest growing event in Canada because of its unique opportunity to run with Canadian soldiers.

Just before meeting some of those heroes, I happened to walk by the small statue of Terry Fox in the lobby of Ottawa City Hall, where the dinner was held. Terry Fox is my All-Time Biggest Hero Ever, ahead of all my childhood sports heroes and the many people who have inspired me as an adult, with their courage, generosity and kindness.

What struck me about the scene with Terry’s statue is that a girl of about seven was posing with it when I walked by, her mother framing her in a digital camera. The girl was beaming, like it was a real thrill to be standing so close to a Canadian icon. When I read today on the Globe and Mail website about how Betty Fox feels about the fact that kids in school today are still learning about Terry, I thought back to the girl last night.

I remember very clearly seeing Terry Fox run. I remember the day he came through Ottawa. I remember when we crossed paths with him again on a family vacation in Ontario’s cottage country. I remember watching the news when he had to stop his run. I remember delivering the Ottawa Citizen the day that he died. So it’s no surprise that Terry is my hero.

But how inspiring to see someone who was born long after the Marathon of Hope looking so thrilled to be in his presence.

Good luck to everyone in the Army Run and the Terry Fox Run tomorrow.