The Ben Mulroney Show - The sneaker Terry Fox made famous... is back!

Episode Date: July 3, 2025

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Intuit TurboTax business, new from TurboTax Canada. Some regional exclusions apply. Learn more at TurboTax.ca slash business tax. Hey there, Canada. Welcome back to the Ben Mulroney show. Thank you so much for joining us yesterday on the show. Right after Canada Day, we had one of my favorite guests on the show, Craig Baird, because he teaches me all about Canadian history and by extension, all of our listeners.

We get to learn so much about this, the great and rich history of this country that some of us are woefully unaware of. But yesterday we asked him about his list of greatest Canadians and everyone has their own list But by and large I would be shocked if every list did not include Terry Fox at the very top or pretty gosh darn close to the top of greatest Canadians and I you know, I struggle whether I should even reference

Who Terry Fox was and his importance in Canada. Of course, he was a great Canadian who began his trek across Canada with one leg, one that he lost to cancer in an effort to raise awareness and funds for cancer research. To date, the Terry Fox Foundation has raised almost a billion dollars in cancer research, but more importantly, his history,

his legend, his lore, his meaning has carried on through generations. The fact that my daughter today knows as much about Terry Fox as I did as somebody who grew up in that era, and that speaks to his importance and how he cuts through generations. He cuts through different cultural communities and his relevance today is as important as it was then. So I'm very glad to invite onto the show the greatest Canadian, one removed, Terry Fox's brother, Fred, to the show. Fred, thank you so much for joining us. An honor, sir.

Great to be with you, Ben. Thank you very much. Lots to discuss about your brother and lots to remember. But I think one of the cool things that we get to talk about today is one of the ways that people can share in your brother's legacy is a limited edition Terry Fox shoe that Adidas Canada will be releasing. edition Terry Fox shoe that Adidas Canada will be releasing. And so talk that I mean, this is one of those. I'm surprised I hadn't seen this before. I'm very glad that that Adidas is doing it now. Yeah, Adidas was there from day one 45 years ago when Terry planned on across the country, he needed support. He knew he'd

probably go through a few pairs of running shoes and he approached the Ditas and they were there. So here we are 45 years later and they've been involved right from the very beginning. Originally releasing the shoe again in 2005 as part of the 25th anniversary. They did it in 2020 and then again this year, today, it's been launched and Canadian get a chance to get a replica shoe of what Terry wore in 1980. Yeah. So, and so for people who don't remember, it's like a navy blue shoe with white stripes. I think it's based on the Orion Adidas Orion model. And the words are very that Adidas, that trademark Adidas clean Terry Fox is written right next to one of the stripes. So this shoe, a version of this has been released in the past. Have you noticed whether the demand

for it has grown, whether it's been consistent or whether it's dropped off? Because I think that would speak to, you know, maybe if it has dropped off, we would have to do, we haven't been doing our job as in educating the population. So why this is important. Yeah, it's been dropped off. I think 2020, you know, it was pretty much sold out immediately. I even get a pair of shoes myself and was unable to.

So lots of interest there. People, you know, grab the shoes for a whole bunch of different reasons, probably not to go for a run. And no, you want to hold on to them. And that technology back then, but yeah, wear them once a year, maybe when they're out there for the Terry Fox run or a special occasion, for sure people love them. Hey, Fred, let me ask you a personal question because I lost my father last year and certainly under completely different circumstances, but loss generally is something

that everyone shares in common. You can't get through life without losing somebody important to you. And I've said many times on this show that I am very fortunate because my father was so public and his work impacted so many people that every single day I hear from at least one person, sometimes multiple people, about something my dad did

that affected them, an interaction they had with him. And in that way, in very surprising ways, my father is a constant presence in my life. If I don't think about him organically, somebody brings him into my mind and into my heart. And in that way, I'm very, very lucky. Your brother passed away so many years ago and his life was cut short.

But I have to believe that you have a similar story. That even if you're not thinking about your brother, something happens and you are reminded of him, which then sort of reinforces that connection. Yeah, you bet. Very similar stories. Terry's with us every day. And as our parents have, our mother, when you know the first Terry

Fox runs happened in 1981, made her way across the country, around the world. And I, as I do today, you know, I meet people all of the time who've got their own personal cancer story and are and related to Terry in some way. So you're reminded of Terry every day. And, and it is amazing to know that, you know, those who speak about Terry come to you and talk about Terry as your father, as you said, you know, have been impacted by what Terry did, because he wanted to make a difference in cancer. And so many of us have been touched by cancer. And that's why Terry did what he did in 1980. Talk to me about the evolution of, and I say legend of Terry Fox, because I don't know that there's another word that can apply to his legacy. But there has been a growing legend

around him that he was a breed apart. He wasn't like other people. And what we've seen in since his accomplishment and the impact of that after he passed, it has reached legendary status. At what point as a member of his family, did you realize that his impact was almost self-sustaining like left on its own, people would remember Terry Fox. Absolutely, so much work has been done by the foundation and by you, his family, to keep that going. But the impact that he has had on our country,

on cancer research, on the importance of this work and of his work, it was deeper, I think, than probably a lot of people expected, given how impactful he is still today. Yeah, I think the first indications were likely when he was in Ontario, in Toronto in 1980, almost 45 years ago today. He was in Canada today in 1980 and making his way through Ontario.

And I, you know, people across Canada were supporting Terry coming together, supporting what Terry wanted. You know, when the very first Terry Fox Runs happened in 1981 and the, you know, a few years after our parents were told, you know, realize that the Terry Fox Run isn't going to continue, people are going to forget. And I think that, you know, that's obviously hasn't happened because people remember that commitment, that dedication, why Terry was doing it. Terry's a, I hear all the time, a great example of what we are as Canadians. Somebody, you know, somebody who worked hard, was determined, was resilient, and wanted

to make a difference to help other people like we have as Canadians around the world. We have these, we as people who did not know your brother personally, remember what I just said. We remember the legacy, remember the work, remember what we saw on television. And now soon we're going to remember him every time we look at the $5 bill because his face will be the face of the $5 bill. But he was your brother. In the quiet times when you're not thinking about cancer research, when you're not thinking

about the monumental task of trekking across the country on one good leg, what do you remember about Terry Fox? You know, Terry and I were only 14 months apart and eight. I'm the older brother and I remember the stuff that we did when we were kids, like any ordinary Canadian kid. And when I get a chance to speak in schools throughout the year, I share what Terry was like as a kid. And he was just an average, ordinary kid, not the best athlete, not the best student

in class. He had to work hard for everything that he did, for every goal that he set for himself. And so those are the things that I remember about Terry. You know, he loved to play sports, loved to compete and we did so much of those things together and that's the brother I remember and Terry translated all that hard work into, you know, accomplishing something and impacting something that he felt was very important to him after he was diagnosed with cancer and that was the impact of lives of others, hopes of cancer research.

Well Fred Fox you can't see me right now but I've got a smile from ear to ear so proud to have spoken to you about your brother who has gifted us so much in this country. I want to thank you very much, congratulate you on all the hard work that you've been doing since your brother started the work. I want to wish you continued success and thank you so much for joining us on the Ben Mulroney show. Thanks a lot and thanks to all Canadians for doing their part and keeping Terry's dream and legacy alive. the Release the 2025 Kicks for the equivalent of $65 weekly for 48 months. Hurry into your local dealer today. S front wheel drive for 280 monthly with 3,495 down at 3.49%. Includes.5% loyalty reduction for qualifying Nissan owners.

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