Terry Fox: An Inspiration (I)

He lost a leg, but never lost hope · 希望马拉松（上）

He was only seventeen years old when he got the horrible news. Cancer. The word must have frightened the young high school student as he listened to his doctor.

He had plans, you know. All youngsters do as they make their way through high school and begin to think about their futures. He must have felt hopeless that day in his doctor’s office.

A month before, he had been in a minor car accident. He had some pain in his right knee. But being a typical young boy, he ignored the pain. When he developed a noticeable limp, he could no longer pretend that everything was okay. His mother insisted on taking him to the doctor. A few days later, Terry found out that he had a rare form of cancer. His right leg would have to be amputated 6 inches above the knee.

As he lay on his bed the night before his operation, Terry could easily have given up. Life must have seemed terribly unfair. His friends were thinking about their final year in high school, and he was thinking about losing his leg the next morning.

But, instead of hopelessness, hope seemed to take over the young man’s mind. Instead of thinking "why me", Terry Fox made up his mind to make the best of a bad situation. He would meet the challenge head-on. He would make it through the operation.

After the surgery, he received his artificial leg and learned how to use it. He decided to work day and night to become a long-distance runner. What a dream!

Imagine how difficult this must have been. Think about balance. Think about strength. Think about determination and dedication. But Terry did not think about giving up. He was going to do something about cancer. It had hit him, and he was going to fight back.

Impossible as it seemed, he was going to run across Canada, all the way from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. He was going to run 50 kilometres a day for six months. He hoped to raise one million dollars for cancer research. Few believed he would make it.

But the young man from Canada had a dream.

Terry Fox: An Inspiration (I) — He lost a leg, but never lost hope

He was only seventeen years old when he got the horrible news. Cancer. The word must have f(1)__________ the young high school student as he listened to his doctor.

He had plans, you know. All youngsters do as they make their way through high school and begin to think about their f(2)__________. He must have felt hopeless that day in his doctor’s office.

A month before, he had been in a minor car accident. He had some pain in his right knee. But being a typical young boy, he i(3)__________ the pain. When he developed a noticeable limp, he could no longer pretend that everything was okay. His mother i(4)__________ on taking him to the doctor. A few days later, Terry found out that he had a r(5)__________ form of cancer. His right leg would have to be a(6)__________ 6 inches above the knee.

As he lay on his bed the night before his operation, Terry could easily have given up. Life must have seemed terribly u(7)__________. His friends were thinking about their final year in high school, and he was thinking about losing his leg the next morning.

But, instead of hopelessness, hope seemed to take over the young man’s mind. Instead of thinking "why me", Terry Fox made up his mind to make the best of a bad situation. He would meet the challenge head-on. He would make it through the operation.

After the surgery, he received his a(8)__________ leg and learned how to use it. He decided to work day and night to become a long-distance runner. What a dream!

Imagine how difficult this must have been. Think about balance. Think about strength. Think about d(9)__________ and dedication. But Terry did not think about giving up. He was going to do something about cancer. It had hit him, and he was going to fight back.

Impossible as it seemed, he was going to run across Canada, all the way from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. He was going to run 50 kilometres a day for six months. He hoped to r(10)__________ one million dollars for cancer research. Few believed he would make it.

But the young man from Canada had a dream.

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🇨🇦 文化拓展 · 真实的 Terry Fox 与希望马拉松

Terry Fox（特里·福克斯，1958–1981）是真实的加拿大国民英雄。18 岁因骨癌右腿截肢后，他装上假肢坚持跑步，1980 年发起了横跨加拿大的 Marathon of Hope（希望马拉松），目标是为一亿三千万加拿大人每人募集 1 加元。他跑了 143 天、5373 公里，每天用假肢跑完相当于一个全程马拉松的距离，最终因癌症扩散到肺部被迫停下，次年去世，年仅 22 岁。

他生前没能跑完全程，但他的梦想远超预期：以他名字命名的 Terry Fox Run 每年 9 月在全球几十个国家举行，至今已为癌症研究募集超过 8 亿加元。加拿大人把他评为"史上最伟大的加拿大人"，他的头像被印在 1 加元硬币上——一个用假肢跑步的青年，成了一个国家的精神图腾。

"It had hit him, and he was going to fight back."（癌症击中了他，他偏要还击。）这是全文最硬气的一句。Terry 的伟大不在于他没有害怕——文章第一段就写他"一定被吓坏了"——而在于害怕之后仍然选择"make the best of a bad situation"。下一篇（II）将讲述他真正上路后的故事。