Newfoundland artist to create Terry Fox statue

ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – Newfoundland artist, Luben Boykov, has been selected to create a Terry Fox statue that will stand at the site where Fox began his Marathon of Hope on April 12, 1980.

"The statue this artist will produce will inspire and help us all find hope in the important lesson that Terry taught us all – that ordinary people can have extraordinary courage and determination and with that, accomplish remarkable things," said Environment Minister John Baird, who announced Boykov’s selection Monday.

A simple plaque currently stands near the spot where Fox – who lost his right leg to cancer – began his cross-country run to raise money for cancer research.

Fred Fox, a member of the family and the manager of supporter relations at the Terry Fox Foundation, said in an earlier interview that, "we’re pretty excited about the opportunity."

"I hear from a lot of people who visit Newfoundland and visit St. John’s and they always wonder where Terry started from, and it’s a difficult spot to find sometimes," he said

There are several other Terry Fox statues throughout the country, including one in Thunder Bay, Ont. – where Terry Fox had to end his daily marathons after his cancer returned.

Boykov received classical training at the Academy of Fine Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria, where he earned his BFA and completed his MFA in 1987. He and his family immigrated to Canada from Bulgaria in 1990s.