A New Zealander finished a 305-day run from St. John’s, N.L., to Victoria on Saturday in support of childhood cancer research.
Jon Nabbs was welcomed with cheers and honks from passing cars when he reached the Terry Fox monument at Mile Zero around 3 p.m., dressed in a Superman suit and pushing a baby buggy that he used to carry his possessions.
“It’s been so many days of just waking up and running, and to think that now the ocean carries on, but the land stops — it’s just surreal and unbelievable,” he told the Times Colonist after taking a dip into the Pacific Ocean off Dallas Road.
Nabbs decided to raise money for cancer research after both his parents died of cancer during the pandemic lockdowns in 2020 and 2021. He had learned about the story of Terry Fox through a Canadian ex-girlfriend and was inspired to follow in his footsteps.
The 8,000 kilometre-long route is equivalent to about 200 marathons. Many Canadians opened their homes to him during the run and he had a one-man tent in his buggy.
He started in May of last year and had originally hoped to finish before winter, but ended up running through the Prairies and the Rocky Mountains in a lot of -20 C weather, Nabbs said.
Along the way, Nabbs visited schools, hospitals and oncology wards to raise awareness about cancer research.
Nabbs is believed to be the first Kiwi to have completed an unsupported cross-country run of Canada. Through his run, Nabbs has raised just over $90,000 for childhood cancer foundations in Canada and New Zealand.
In about three weeks, Nabbs will begin another run in support of cancer research. This time, he will run the length of New Zealand from south to north. “It’s a whole country, but it’s actually less distance than Ontario if you’re on the Trans-Canada,” he said.
