Anyone watching the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Olympics saw eight great Canadians carrying the Olympic flag. Actually, it was seven great Canadians and one great Canadian’s mother. Her son, Terry Fox, is generally considered one of the 10 greatest Canadians of all time.
Anyone watching the opening ceremony of the Vancouver Olympics saw eight great Canadians carrying the Olympic flag. Actually, it was seven great Canadians and one great Canadian’s mother. Her son, Terry Fox, is generally considered one of the 10 greatest Canadians of all time. From April 1980 to February 1981, the 21-year-old, who had lost a leg to cancer, was on a mission to run across the country from the Atlantic to the Pacific to raise awareness for cancer. He was forced to stop halfway across the country when the cancer spread to his lungs. He died less than a year later. Some say his run inspired the cross-country run by Forrest Gump in the movie of the same name.
Forrest Gump, in turn, inspired Real Saltman Oswald. Last week, the 34-year-old began his own race across America, but instead of running, he’s traveling by skateboard. He left from San Francisco, and hopes to make it all the way to Central Park in New York. He passed through Santa Cruz on Friday.
Oswald has his own mission. He hopes to raise awareness for a path for non-motorized vehicles (bikes, skateboards, etc.) to reach across America. “I think it’s a positive movement for a greener environment,” he explains, and describes the proposed path as “a way to take your time and have that experience” of America. He plans to skate eight hours a day, and will sleep wherever his board takes him, using a vehicle sun shield for bedding. He has a long way ahead of him. Read more at KION.
