Derek Hergott lives in Waterloo, Ontario and finds inspiration in Terry Fox. The 39-year-old father and husband is a special needs educator and committee organizer on the Waterloo Terry Fox Run. “It’s not just Terry, but how the whole nation was stacked behind him,” says Hergott, who began work on his 10-hour tattoo in 2007 over two marathon sessions. “It’s been more than 40 years since his Marathon of Hope and I just want to commemorate how phenomenal he was—his legacy is still here.”
The Terry Fox Foundation has seen many different iterations of tattoos of Mr. Fox. Reached over email, Darrell Fox shared two of his personal favourites, down below.
To date, the Terry Fox Foundation has raised more than $825,000,000 and funded more than 1,000 innovative research projects. Terry Fox Runs are held to raise money for charities in schools throughout the country and, when asked on Facebook who our readers would most like to run with, 80% of the respondents named Terry Fox. (The other 20% were family members who we’re all missing during COVID-19). For Derek Hergott, an ultra-marathoner who began running on a Wednesday night with his local Running Room chapter and became hooked on our sport, Terry Fox is the greatest Canadian.
“I find the inspiration of Terry Fox incredibly powerful,” says Hergott, adding that he’s been growing his beard for the past four years and will be shaving it September 1 in order to raise money for the Terry Fox Foundation. His fundraising goal? $10,000.
“Terry Fox is one of those Canadians whose impact is still being felt,” says Hergott. “I’m not just talking about in Canada, but all over the world.”
Hergott says he may be in the market for another tattoo. Perhaps another Terry Fox image as an arm sleeve. First, however, he needs the go-ahead from his wife.
To make a donation to the Terry Fox Foundation, click here. If you have a Terry Fox tattoo that you want shared with Darrell Fox, email Ben Kaplan at ben@irun.ca.
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