Camper van that supported Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope comes to Calgary

A piece of Canadian history will be at Calgary's Heritage Park starting this weekend — as the iconic van from Terry Fox's Marathon of Hope will be on display. 

Darrell Fox, Terry's brother, lent the van to the park and Calgarians can view it starting Saturday. 

"It's great to have it out there and for people to experience and maybe recognize what Terry accomplished with the aid of that vehicle," he said on the Calgary Eyeopener Thursday. 

When Fox embarked on his historic Marathon of Hope, a beige Ford Econoline van was with him the whole way. Terry ran from St. John's to near Thunder Bay Ont., in 1980 to raise money and awareness for cancer research.

The van was used by Terry, Darrell and their friend Doug Alward for 143 days and it will stay at Heritage Park for the same amount of time. 

LISTEN | Darrell Fox lent the van to Heritage Park in Calgary. He describes what it means to him

Fox said after Terry was forced to stop the Marathon of Hope the focus was on his health and they forgot all about the van. The loaned van was returned to a lot in London. Ont., and was sold to a family there, where it stayed for 20 years. 

It was then brought to B.C. and owned by a man who used it as a touring vehicle for a rock band, Fox, who is also a senior advisor for the Terry Fox Research Institute, said. 

"He said it was just like Terry, it never let them down. They accumulated over 300,000 kilometres on the van and it just kept running," he said. 

After a hefty repair bill Fox was able to buy the van back from the man in 2007, restore it and take it across the country. 

"We called it the Tour of Hope and it was feelings. It was every time we parked it and opened the van doors, the stories started to flow out of the van. But they also came inside as well as people, families reflected on Terry's accomplishments," he said. 

"And it is incredible when you recognize that this van was … it was there for every Marathon of Hope mile that Terry ran. It marked every mile. It was his home away from home. So it has significance I find and I feel, and that's what you experience when you're around it." 

Kevin Graham, chief operations officer at Heritage Park said Terry's legacy is one of hope and hard work. 

"We are honoured to have this piece of Canadian history come to Gasoline Alley, especially at the same of year when millions of Canadians will be honouring Terry in annual Terry Fox Run across the country."

The Terry Fox run is scheduled for Sept. 17.