Friday marked the anniversary of a special day in Canadian history. Terry Fox began his east-to-west, cross-country run 44 years ago.
His story has inspired generations of Canadians, but few as passionately as Eddy Nolan.
After seeing Fox run in Montreal, Nolan fell in love with running himself, and went on to raise thousands of dollars for cancer research by organizing and participating in Terry Fox Runs every year.
Nolan died on Friday at the age of 67, but his memory lives on at Roslyn Elementary School in Westmount, Que., where he worked as caretaker for 13 years. The first of a now yearly tradition got underway Friday — a walk around the school honouring Nolan.
“He was such a special man and he did wonderful things and he just thought of everyone else but himself,” said Randi Stroll, friend and co-worker of Nolan.
Roslyn’s principal, Joanna Genovezos, said Nolan was a great caretaker, but he did much more than that.
“He was also a person who made connections with students and with staff and had a heart for raising money for a cure for cancer,” she said.
Katherine Chaudhury, a 12-year-old Grade 6 student at Roslyn, always participates in the Terry Fox Run at school. She said it’s important to raise awareness about cancer and how Fox persevered. She met Nolan once when she was in Grade 2.
“I heard many good stories about him and how kind he was, and how he always said, ‘be kind because it costs nothing,'” Chaudhury said.
Eddy Nolan died on Friday at the age of 67, but his memory lives on at Roslyn Elementary School in Westmount, Que., and across Montreal for his dedication to the Terry Fox Run.
Mark Sokalski, gym teacher at Roslyn, first met Nolan in 2007.
“He was more than your average caretaker,” said Sokalski. “He always took the time to talk to the kids.”
Because of that connection Nolan built with students, the kids were even more eager to participate in the school’s Terry Fox Run, he said.
In the early 90s, Nolan lost both his sisters to cancer. In 2011, Nolan was diagnosed with throat and neck cancer. He stopped working as a caretaker, but he didn’t stop raising money or inspiring young students at Roslyn.
Nolan told CBC that he received about 500 get-well cards in two weeks.
A year after his diagnosis, Nolan ran a marathon down Sherbrooke Street on April 12, pushing for the day to be designated Terry Fox Day. With crowds lining the sidewalk and cheering his name, Nolan got his start in Montreal West, giving his supporters high fives as he ran. Students from Roslyn lined Westmount Park to cheer him on.
“With his Marathon of Hope, he united the whole country, you know?” Nolan told CBC News at the time. “He was a special individual.”
Montrealer lobbies for Terry Fox Day
Nolan organized or participated in dozens of Terry Fox Runs. Every September since its start, he ran in Montreal’s annual event. He spearheaded Roslyn’s participation, and he is credited with raising more than $1 million for cancer research over the years.
“Eddy is a legend at Roslyn,” Genovezos said. “Eddy will be missed but his legacy will live on.”
Just last year, on April 12, Nolan participated in his 43rd run to commemorate Fox’s cross-country start date.
With a declining quality of life, Nolan requested a medically assisted death. He died on the anniversary of the day Fox dipped his right leg in the Atlantic Ocean and began his Marathon of Hope.
In his last post on Facebook, Nolan encouraged people to keep supporting the Terry Fox Foundation.
“Most important is be kind, costs nothing,” he wrote.