Book Review 2-12: THE LONG ROAD

I read THE LONG ROAD. This is written about a man's background. He is a strong runner. However, his right leg gets impaired suddenly on his way home. Then, he has to have an artificial leg. He remembers a story about a man with one leg in a marathon. Then, he decides to run from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean for a purpose.

Terry Fox is a good student and a strong athlete in 1976. In March, 1997, he is running home, but he stops suddenly. His right leg gets impaired. His family takes him to the hospital, and the doctors operate. 3 weeks later, Terry has an artificial leg. He goes home in April, but he often thinks of the children with cancer in the hospital. 'Only money can stop the pain,' he thinks. He remembers a story about a man with one leg in the New York Marathon. Then, he decides to run from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean to earn money. Terry's marathon starts at St. John's, Newfoundland, on April 12, 1980. His friend, Doug Alward, is his driver. Terry runs in the day and sleeps in the car at night. He runs 550 miles in 23 days. In Port-Aux-Basques, the people of the town give 8000 dollars to him. On May 8, he is on the road to Halifax. He finishes his first 1000 miles. Terry is near Moncton, New Brunswick, and is in pain from his artificial leg on May 28. 'See a doctor,' Doug says, but Terry says no. On June 24, he arrives in Montreal. He meets Isadore Sharp there. Isadore gives 2 dollars for every mile of the marathon to Terry and has important massage for all Canadians: 'Give money.' After Tronto, Terry doesn't run well. However, he doesn't see a doctor. On September 1, he is running near Thunder Bay. Suddenly, there is a bad pain in his lungs. In the end, he can't run any more, and an airplane takes him back home. Then, he goes to the hospital in New Westminster. Terry runs a total of 3339 miles. He has 1400000 dollars for sick children. This is good, but he has cancer again. Sadly, the doctors can't stop his cancer. Terry dies on June 28, 1981. He becomes a Canadian hero and leaves a message 'Stop the pain.'

I didn't know about Terry Fox until I read THE LONG ROAD. He seems to be patient and brave. Talking about the reason why he seems to be patient, there is a scene which he continued to run in spite of being in pain from his artificial leg in this book. Then, talking about the reason why he seems to be brave, there is a scene which he decided to run from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean in it. If I were Terry, I couldn't do these things probably. Personally, THE LONG ROAD is a book which encourages people who read it. [492 words]