April 12, 1980: Terry Fox dips his artificial leg into the Atlantic Ocean in St. John's, Nfld. and his Marathon of Hope begins.

A police escort and a small crowd witness the departure of Terry and his van, which carries eight pairs of running shoes, three extra legs and various spare parts. He hopes to reach the Pacific Ocean in five or six months.

Follow Terry's progress with Terry Fox 25: Reliving the Marathon of Hope

• Terry's right leg was fitted with an artificial leg made of steel and fiberglass. He tried many different ways of running but was never able to use a normal gait, settling on an awkward double step and hop.
• On the first few days of his run, Terry was delighted to find people lining up to hand him donations of money as he ran by.

Medium: Television
Program: The National
Broadcast Date: April 12, 1980
Reporter: John McQuaker
Guest(s): Terry Fox
Duration: 1:30