Like any kid his age, Justin Fisher has negotiated his share of life lessons, some easier to appreciate and cherish than others.
He plays hockey and baseball in his home town of Cambridge, Ontario, has to be reminded to do his homework on occasion, and as a youngster growing up immersed in harness racing, Justin can handicap a program better than most other 13-year-olds (or 30-year olds, for that matter).
But most significantly, there are a few things Justin learned from his mother – and by tapping into the generosity of the racing industry he has done something that would make any parent proud.
When Justin was three years old, his mom Patti and father Dan (director of advertising sales at Trot) chose to take part in the annual Terry Fox run in support of cancer research. Their decision was part good will and community support, part fun and part tradition – and it’s the type of family memory you hope that kids will hang onto for the rest of their lives.
He certainly wouldn’t be the first or only youngster to participate in one of Canada’s great fund raising causes, and if you ask him honestly, Justin willingly admits that the highlight of his first few years might well have been the family trip to Dairy Queen afterwards. In the time since, though, life has changed, and he’s learned to appreciate the day for different reasons.
“My Mom always taught me to try and help other people that aren’t as lucky as me and that’s what I’m doing,” says Justin. “But I’m really doing it for her.”
Years after Justin and his family began their annual trek through the streets of Cambridge, they were faced with a horrible irony. Patti, Justin’s mom, was diagnosed with cancer, the same disease that ultimately ended the life of the Canadian icon they worked to support each year – Terry Fox.
Patti battled through it, determined to put on a brave face for her son as they continued their annual commitment – and their lives – until she passed away nearly four years ago.
It’s impossible to imagine the emotional ride it must be, then, when Justin hops on his bike every autumn to do his good deed and honour one of the most important gifts his mother gave him. “I have lots of great memories of doing the run with my parents every year – it was always our favourite family day of the year,” says Justin. “Now when we do it, it makes my Dad and I feel a little sad but it makes me feel close to my Mom while we’re out there.”
From his start as a toddler, when he’d follow along behind his father (who trained horses at the time) to his current level of involvement, his growth and maturation through the event has been an inspiration to many.
Collecting pledges for the big day is a major endeavor, and it’s become a tradition for Justin to show up in the driver’s room at Mohawk or Woodbine, clipboard in hand. He always makes sure his main visit happens around stakes time, so that all the big drivers can contribute. “We think it’s great -- all of the drivers are really proud of that boy,” grins American Ron Pierce. “He comes in every year and asks us politely if we can donate to his cause. He’s a real young gentleman.”
As is so often the case in the harness racing industry when it comes to benevolent causes, the drivers open their wallets and hearts to one of their own. In the early days, many of them didn’t even know who Terry Fox was. So over the years, thanks to Justin, they have learned increasingly more about the the one-legged hero’s 143-day Marathon of Hope and how he attempted to run from coast-to-coast to raise money and awareness about the disease which ultimately claimed his life.
They’ve also watched a boy grow up, admiring him for his sense of purpose and commitment.
The run always takes place in September – the month chosen by Fox to reflect when he had to stop running. That it happens in the middle of the fall stakes season makes it perfect timing for Justin’s efforts.
Led by the regulars on the WEG circuit, wallets open as soon as he walks into the room. Father and son spend six or seven races with the drivers as donations pour in. “It’s a good cause, for one thing and he’s a nice, quiet kid – very respectful,” says newly inducted Canadian Sports Hall-of-Famer star John Campbell. “For all that he’s been through you’ve got to admire what he’s doing. The drivers enjoy seeing him every fall. We know what’s coming.”
The results have been impressive for what is essentially a one-man show. In the four years since his mother passed away, he has topped $1,000 each time and a solid 90% of the money comes from his harness racing pals. This year alone, Justin reached a new record, collecting a whopping $1,700 to contribute to the Terry Fox Foundation.
“They all knew him from the time he was about two years old,” says Dan. “He used to come race with me from the time he could walk. The majority of them knew his mother too. She would paddock for me quite a bit and then once he was born, they would come on weekends.”
Considering that the average contribution for a person who runs in the Cambridge chapter of the event is $70, you can understand the magnitude of what Justin has accomplished. It’s quite an evolution from the days when the Fishers first became involved – thanks to a family decision which spawned from an innocent question. It was Justin who saw a billboard bearing an image of Fox and wondered about his story. “At first, I had to tell (the American drivers) about the whole thing and who Terry Fox is,” grins Justin. “Now when they see me, they say: ‘it must be Terry Fox time again!’”
As Justin gets older, he becomes even more in tune to the cause. He will never forget the loss of his Mom, or the year she had a painfully sore back, yet still rode her bike alongside her son (Dan usually runs behind them). Two-and-a-half weeks after that run, those back pains were diagnosed as leukemia.
As you might expect, Justin’s most vivid of memories of the run are from the first year he had to do it without his beloved ‘Mom-O,’ as he called her. And it is no surprise that those who have supported him loyally throughout his participation stepped up their contribution. “The year after my Mom died, it was really, really hard,” admits Justin. “She was so determined about it and believed in the cause. It makes me feel happy that I can do something to help people. The older I get the more I feel that way.”
Once they became aware of his story and his accomplishments, the folks who run the Terry Fox Foundation have been supportive of Justin’s participation as well, recognizing him with a registered letter to thank and encourage him, as well as a hardcover copy of the book Terry, a biography of the Canadian hero.
On a recent visit to Vancouver with his Dad to visit his Mom’s family, Justin had the chance to visit the Terry Fox Memorial statue. “It made me feel even more connected to it,” he says.
That connection will only continue as he gets older, fuelled by the memories of his mother and now the influence of his extended family at the racetrack. And he certainly has the support of the Terry Fox Foundation, as that letter from Ontario director Martha McClew so eloquently illustrates.
“Terry believed so strongly that young people could and can make a difference in our world,” McClew wrote. “You show all of us, Justin, that age is no reason not to do something good in the world. We are so very proud to be the recipient of your fund raising effort.”