Terry Fox collection to be housed at Royal B.C. Museum

The Marathon of Hope van has a place to park – for at least the next 20 years.

The Royal BC Museum and the Terry Fox Centre struck a deal this week that will have the Victoria museum serving as caretaker for the Port Coquitlam icon’s keepsakes.

“For 44 years, Terry Fox has been an inspiration to Canadians and we are thrilled to be entrusted with the stewardship of this important collection,” explained Royal BC Museum CEO Tracey Drake in a press release.

The museum will serve as stewards for objects from Terry Fox’s life as well as mementoes from the 1980 Marathon of Hope. His shoes, his prosthetic leg, the van that followed him throughout his 5,773-kilometre journey, and letters that children wrote to Terry are all set to be included in the collection.

The museum’s goal is to preserve Fox’s legacy for future generations and to tell the story of Fox’s hope, courage and determination in Canada and around the world, explained Darrell Fox, who was representing the Terry Fox family and the Terry Fox Centre.

“Terry is not with us physically, but his shoes, leg, sock and Marathon of Hope t-shirts, together with thousands of other artifacts, will inspire future generations to pursue their dreams while giving back,” Darrell Fox explained.

“By safeguarding these pieces of history, we ensure that Terry’s legacy continues to inspire generations to come, encouraging perseverance, resilience, and the pursuit of helping Canadians everywhere,” stated Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport Lana Popham.