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IN THE NEWS
June 1
Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope is heading east down Highway 7, about halfway between Saint John, New Brunswick, and New Brunswick's largest city, Moncton. New Brunswick is his fourth province in seven weeks of running, and he's averaging approximately 29 miles, daily. Terry started experiencing problems with the knee joints in his artificial legs soon after entering New Brunswick. He wrote in his diary, "The springs in my knee joint are worn away but I struggled and pounded out the twelve miles." The leg was sent ahead to Fredericton for repairs. When he tried one of his spare legs it was worse, "After a half-mile I fell flat on my face. I couldn't keep my balance and I was struggling to make ground again." No events were organized for him when he had arrived at Saint John. Though he was advised to skip the city entirely by sticking to the Trans-Canada Highway, he decided to go there to make a point. "I am going to run right down this city's main street. Doug is going to follow behind me and honk," Terry wrote in his diary. "We will be rebels, we will stir up noise. People will know Terry Fox ran out of his way to Saint John for a reason!" Things improved after the mayor of Saint John hastily rallied the local radio station and newspaper. Terry's diary entry from June 1, 1980 mentions that he found this stretch of the run difficult: The weather was hot and muggy, he was tired and sore, and "one idiot tried to drive me off the road." But his spirits were soon raised. Darrell Fox, then 17, skipped his high school graduation to join his older brother in Saint John. Darrell adored Terry and his presence lightened the mood considerably.
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