By Dori Modney (@Dori_Modney on Twitter) with files and photo from the Terry Fox Foundation website and The Canadian Press

Father of Terry Fox Dies at Age 80

Mar 8, 2016 | 8:43 PM

VANCOUVER:  It’s a name known and remembered arond the world. Terry fox became an icon of courage and stamina as he tried to outrun cancer. Unfortunately, his cross Canada erun was cut short, when the cancer that had taken his leg returned and he succumbed to the disease on June 28th of 1981. 

Terry’s parents, Betty and Rolly Fox, were his biggest supporters and worked tirelessly to support the annual Terry Fox Run for Cancer.  Betty Fox died from complications due to diabetes in 2011.

 In early 2016, it had been announced on the Terry Fox Foundation website, that Rolly had been diagnosed with lung cancer. On Tuesday, March 8th, the same website revealed that Rolly had passed away at the age of 80.

The following is the announcement from the website:

Our Dad and Grandpa is no longer telling jokes. Rolland Murray Fox died late afternoon on March 8th while listening to a little Hank Williams. He fulfilled his promise to Terry facing cancer with courage, grace and plenty of humour. He thanked everyone, every time as they left the room after caring for him and each and every family member and friend after a visit. Our promise to Dad is to try our very best to focus on the many memories of laughter he gifted us the last few weeks and throughout our lives. His room was always overflowing with family, love, laughter, song and story – does life offer anything better? We have witnessed once again the pain cancer causes but we know, oh how we know, that we are not alone. We have seen first hand the opportunities to extend life because of our nation’s collective belief and investment in cancer research, yet have been forced to accept that they were not available to Dad/Grandpa. We now have your journey, together with Terry’s, to offer us inspiration and hope from this day forward, forever more.

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The Fox Family 

Terry Fox lost a leg to cancer in 1977 and launched his Marathon of Hope in 1980 when he ran more than 5000 kilometres to raise money for cancer research  He died the next year at age 22, but the Terry Fox runs have been held in communities around the world for decades since.