On April 12, 1980 Terry Fox dipped his prosthetic leg in the Atlantic Ocean to begin his Marathon of Hope to raise support for cancer research.
Exactly 43 years later, a southern Alberta man has embarked on a similar journey with the goal of bringing awareness to issues affecting Indigenous Peoples across Canada.
Staamiiksoosaak (Johnny Bare Shin Bone) said Fox is his “hero,” and he has been an avid runner for decades, specializing in 10-km road races.
Around four years ago, he was in British Columbia when he had a reoccurring dream of a Newfoundland road sign.
“Why am I in Vancouver on the West Coast, and my spirit was way over on the East Coast, St. John’s Newfoundland?” he asked.
After some consideration and searching for a reason, he decided he would run across the country to support Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, the opioid drug crisis, residential school survivors, and land acknowledgment.
“That’s the main reason why I want to run this. I want to fulfill it.”
With support from family, friends and the community, Staamiiksoosaak arrived this week on the East Coast equipped with an RV and plenty of extra running shoes.
The crew is running in a relay style. Staamiiksoosaak will be joined by his grandsons and daughter.
“I’m just going to run in the mornings, about four hours in the mornings,” he explained.
The day started with a pipe ceremony, before setting off on a relay-style run with members of the Mi’kmaq First Nation.
Back home in Stand Off, Alta., members of the community — including representatives from chief and council and the health department — gathered to show their support.
“It just feels surreal because we never thought that it would actually happen,” said organizer Andrew Many Bears.
“We wanted to let them know that our tribe is here for you and we thought that we could put up a rally for them just to inspire them.”
The group will be sharing their journey on Facebook, and expects to arrive in Victoria, B.C. this August. They are encouraging both Indigenous and non-Indigenous members of the public to join them.
“This is a healing run, and we are here to heal. Not only our people, but all throughout the land,” added Staamiiksoosaak’s daughter Lurlene Bare Shin Bone.
Staamiiksoosaak told Global News he is the same age as Terry Fox — both men were born in the summer of 1958.