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When they finally rolled into the parking lot of a modest roadside motel, there was no celebration. They were an hour and a half behind schedule after what was supposed to be a seven-hour ride. The only things on their minds were a shower, a quick meal and sleep. And no wonder: three straight days of 240 kms through the Rockies, in 34C heat, would break most people.

But then again, these weren鈥檛 ordinary riders.

You might ask 鈥� who is Darrell and why put himself and his teammates through this? The answer is both simple and profound: to mark the 45th anniversary of the Terry Fox Run, raising money and awareness for cancer research.

Darrell Fox is Terry鈥檚 younger brother. Alongside his siblings Fred and Judy, Darrell has dedicated much of his life to carrying Terry鈥檚 legacy forward. Back in 1980, when Terry ran his Marathon of Hope, Darrell and family friend Doug Alward were there every day, helping him on his seemingly听impossible quest. Now, four and a half decades later, Darrell was once again on the road 鈥� this time on two wheels 鈥� with seven fellow cyclists who shared his passion.

The plan was as ambitious as it was inspiring: cycle 7,000 kms across the country in just over a month, covering their own costs so every dollar raised would go directly to cancer research.

Thanks to generous sponsors like Choice Hotels and countless individual supporters, expenses were kept to a minimum, while the riders set their sights on a bold goal 鈥� $1 million raised. Along the way, they would stop for public events, sharing Terry鈥檚 story and hearing the stories of others who had been touched by his dream.

I was fortunate enough to be part of the support crew for the first stretch of the ride through the Rockies. By the time the team reached Revelstoke, I wondered if they鈥檇 have the energy to join me for the dinner I鈥檇 arranged at the Old School House restaurant, a lively spot in the centre of town.

To my surprise, when the offer was made, they showered and rallied 鈥� maybe it was the promise of a change of scenery, or perhaps the 1980s disco music I had playing in the van. Either way, by the time we pulled up, the riders were laughing and even attempting a few questionable dance moves.

The restaurant was packed 鈥� a wonderful sight for Canada鈥檚 tourism industry on a Wednesday night in June. Our reservation secured us a small table in the middle of the room, tight for eight people, and nearly impossible for nine.

When the staff hesitated to squeeze in another chair, I struck up a conversation with the nearby table, visitors from Liverpool, England. Once I explained who Darrell was and the purpose of the ride, they couldn鈥檛 have been kinder. They waved away my offer of drinks and instead encouraged us to stay.

What happened next was something none of us could have anticipated.

As the riders sat waiting for their orders, a gentle voice broke through the chatter. A woman in her 70s approached me and asked softly, 鈥淓xcuse me, sir 鈥� did I hear you say that Darrell Fox is here?鈥�

鈥淵es,鈥� I told her. 鈥淗e鈥檚 sitting right across from me.鈥�

She looked directly at Darrell, her eyes glistening. 鈥淥f course 鈥� I can see the resemblance. I love your brother.鈥�

Darrell smiled warmly. 鈥淭hank you. I do too.鈥�

鈥淚 think of him every single day,鈥� she said, her voice catching.

鈥淪o do I,鈥� Darrell replied.

Her name was Ruth. She didn鈥檛 want a photo or to disturb our dinner. She simply wanted to pay her respects. Then, without a word, she slipped a $50 bill into Darrell鈥檚 hand and quietly returned to her table.

Her gesture seemed to open a floodgate. Within minutes, a couple from London, England approached. They had overheard our conversation, looked up the ride on the Terry Fox Foundation鈥檚 website and not only made an online donation but also signed up for the Terry Fox Run in London later that year.

Soon, table after table joined in 鈥� locals and tourists alike, sharing memories of Terry, thanking the riders, and contributing what they could. It felt like a scene from 1980, when strangers lined the highways to drop bills and coins into buckets as Terry ran past.

Our new friends from Liverpool, the ones who had so graciously made space for us, capped off the wave of generosity by registering for their local Terry Fox Run and donating online.

By the end of the evening, the riders were not just nourished by food but by the encouragement and support of a room full of strangers. It gave them renewed strength to face the next day鈥檚 punishing 240-km ride.

Now, back home in Toronto, I find myself looking forward to the run at Upper Canada College on Sunday. My son Nolan and his friend Cam Ross will be hosting the event, supported by an incredible team of volunteers. Together, we鈥檒l keep working toward Terry鈥檚 dream 鈥� a world without cancer.

Thank you, Darrell. Thank you, riders. And thank you to every person who continues to carry Terry鈥檚 torch forward.