Most mornings in Campbell River, you will see 76-year-old Doug Vater journey along the cityB次元官网网址檚 Seawalk.
People will often stop and speak with him on those sometimes dull and dreary because his t-shirt catches their eye.
Emblazoned on it is Terry Fox, the champion of cancer research who famously attempted to run coast to coast across Canada in 1980 to raise money for the cause.
For Vater, Fox was not just a national hero, he was a man of incredible humility, and for that crucial period, a companion in his Marathon of Hope.
B次元官网网址淲hen he stopped his run, weB次元官网网址檇 bring in literally garbage bags of mail into the Fox home,B次元官网网址� said Vater. B次元官网网址淭he letter opener we got was an industrial sized one. I opened one letter, and it said B次元官网网址楾o Terry Fox onlyB次元官网网址�. It was a cheque for $2,500. I handed it to Terry. He looked at it and said B次元官网网址榮end it back. It only goes to cancer research.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
Vater first crossed paths with the Fox family in 1980, when he was the vice-president of the Port Coquitlam-Port Moody Chamber of Commerce (now the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce). Fox won the organizationB次元官网网址檚 athlete of the year award in 1980. A few months later, Fox began his historic run with a goal of $1 dollar for every Canadian at the time going toward cancer research.
Vater was in his car, heading to meetings in Vancouver when he heard about FoxB次元官网网址檚 mission.
B次元官网网址淚 thought, I had to get involved in some way,B次元官网网址� said Vater.
Get involved Vater did. Inspired by a trip back to his native Newfoundland, he returned to Port Coquitlam with a simple mission: for Port Coquitlam to know TerryB次元官网网址檚 objective, and to let Fox know that his hometown was behind him as well.
B次元官网网址淲hen I went back east, to see the excitement that was happening there,B次元官网网址� said Vater. B次元官网网址淭here was no excitement around Port Coquitlam. WeB次元官网网址檇 hear news, but the excitement in the east was phenomenal.B次元官网网址�
Approaching the Cancer Society, Vater didnB次元官网网址檛 think about donations and fundraising. But, thrust into the position, Vater set a goal with city council and the Cancer Society of $100,000.
B次元官网网址淰olunteers came from everywhere,B次元官网网址� said Vater. B次元官网网址淭he city got involved, businesses from around got involved. There was no Facebook back then.B次元官网网址�
The second goal Vater had stemming from his philanthropic efforts was that he wanted to join Terry on his trek. He managed to meet up with the B次元官网网址淢arathon of HopeB次元官网网址� entourage just east of Terrace Bay,Ont., just one week before Fox had to stop his run in Thunder Bay. The bone cancer had spread to his lungs.
FoxB次元官网网址檚 goal of $1 for each Canadian had been raised by Feb. 1981. Fox passed away that June.
B次元官网网址淵ou could tell that something was wrong,B次元官网网址� said Vater about that final week. B次元官网网址淗e was tense.B次元官网网址�
Forty-three years later, Vater says that he feels Fox would be in awe of the global phenomenon the Terry Fox Run has become.
B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think Terry even knew what he started,B次元官网网址� said Vater. B次元官网网址淭hat just speaks to how humble he was.B次元官网网址�
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