1 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: Welcome to Aaron Manke's Cabinet of Curiosities, a production of 2 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:09,320 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio and Grimm and Mild. 3 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 2: Our world is full of the unexplainable, and if history 4 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:20,239 Speaker 2: is an open book, all of these amazing tales are 5 00:00:20,320 --> 00:00:23,720 Speaker 2: right there on display, just waiting for us to explore. 6 00:00:25,239 --> 00:00:37,080 Speaker 2: Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosities. Terry was one of 7 00:00:37,120 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 2: those kids who just wouldn't quit. Growing up on Canada's 8 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:43,160 Speaker 2: West Coast. He was an athlete almost from day one. 9 00:00:43,320 --> 00:00:45,919 Speaker 2: Terry wasn't the tallest one on the court or the 10 00:00:46,000 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 2: fastest on the track, but when it came to determination, 11 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 2: no one had him beat. Terry loves sports and he 12 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 2: tried his hand at everything too. Soccer, rugby, diving, and 13 00:00:56,840 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 2: cross country. Basketball was his favorite, but he was pickie 14 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:03,000 Speaker 2: if it got his blood pumping. He was all in 15 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 2: and his coaches loved him because he always gave one 16 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:09,279 Speaker 2: hundred and ten percent, even in practice, and that drive 17 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:13,160 Speaker 2: paid off. Soon after starting college at Simon Fraser University, 18 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:15,959 Speaker 2: he walked on to the JV basketball team. He was 19 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:18,160 Speaker 2: on his way to making varsity when he got the 20 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:22,840 Speaker 2: diagnosis that changed his life. Osteogenic sarcoma a type of 21 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:26,240 Speaker 2: bone cancer. Terry was just eighteen years old when he 22 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 2: learned that he had the disease. One minute, he was 23 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:31,280 Speaker 2: playing basketball with his friends, and the next he was 24 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:35,559 Speaker 2: facing chemotherapy and hospital beds. But Terry had never given 25 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:38,760 Speaker 2: up before, and he wasn't starting now. Through months of 26 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:43,039 Speaker 2: harsh treatments and grueling physical therapy, he kept his spirits high, 27 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:47,360 Speaker 2: joking with nurses and comforting other patients around him, but 28 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:51,400 Speaker 2: inwardly he grew frustrated. Terry was deeply affected by the 29 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:54,120 Speaker 2: young children he met in the cancer ward, many of 30 00:01:54,160 --> 00:01:57,680 Speaker 2: whom had terminal diagnoses, and as he learned more about 31 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:00,280 Speaker 2: the state of cancer research, he was stunned by how 32 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 2: little money was being put toward the cure. So as 33 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:06,120 Speaker 2: his own treatment drew to an end, Terry came up 34 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 2: with a plan to fight the disease, not just for himself, 35 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:12,359 Speaker 2: but for everyone. In nineteen eighty, he announced that he 36 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:15,919 Speaker 2: would run across Canada from the Atlantic Ocean in Saint John's, 37 00:02:15,960 --> 00:02:18,120 Speaker 2: Newfoundland all the way to the Pacific. 38 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: He called it the Marathon of Hope, and his goal 39 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:24,240 Speaker 1: was to raise twenty four million dollars for cancer research, 40 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:28,960 Speaker 1: one dollar for every Canadian He started out quietly in April, 41 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:32,280 Speaker 1: taking a symbolic dip in the Atlantic, and then he 42 00:02:32,400 --> 00:02:36,520 Speaker 1: ran along highways and unpaved back roads, through wind, rain, 43 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 1: blistering heat, and even a snowstorm. He ate donated meals 44 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 1: and he slept in a cramped camper van driven by 45 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:47,560 Speaker 1: a friend. But word started to spread. The Canadian news 46 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 1: picked up the story, and pretty soon cheering crowds were 47 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 1: waiting for him at each new city on his route. 48 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:57,119 Speaker 1: As the donations poured in, Terry pressed on day after day, 49 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 1: mile after mile from Nova Scotia, through Prince Edward Island, 50 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: New Brunswick, Quebec, and finally Ontario. By the time he 51 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:08,360 Speaker 1: reached Toronto, tens of thousands were cheering him on. But 52 00:03:08,440 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 1: on September first, after one hundred and forty three days 53 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: and over three thousand miles, something was wrong. Terry began 54 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:17,760 Speaker 1: to feel a pain deep in his chest. As he 55 00:03:17,800 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 1: neared thunder Bay, Ontario, he collapsed. He was rushed into 56 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:25,160 Speaker 1: the hospital, where doctors delivered the crushing news. The cancer 57 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:28,240 Speaker 1: was back, and this time it had spread to his lungs. 58 00:03:28,880 --> 00:03:32,080 Speaker 1: With his condition rapidly worsening, there was no chance of 59 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 1: finishing the run. The fans who had followed Terry's journey 60 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:38,720 Speaker 1: were devastated. The Marathon of Hope was over, and just 61 00:03:38,840 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: nine months later, Terry passed away. He was just twenty 62 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:46,400 Speaker 1: two years old. But that's not the end. His determination 63 00:03:46,560 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 1: and grit ensured that his story would continue to spread Today. 64 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:54,240 Speaker 1: His name lives on in schools, streets, parks, monuments, and 65 00:03:54,320 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 1: even one mountain, not to mention the hearts of people 66 00:03:57,040 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: who take part in the Terry Fox Run, a global 67 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:04,120 Speaker 1: event that continues to raise millions for cancer research every year. 68 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:07,640 Speaker 1: To date, over eight hundred million dollars has been raised 69 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:10,560 Speaker 1: in Terry's name. But his legacy can't just be judged 70 00:04:10,560 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: in money. His Marathon of Hope became a model for 71 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:17,599 Speaker 1: large scale charity runs, creating a blueprint for organizers to 72 00:04:17,680 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 1: build a tension and resources for all kinds of important causes. 73 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 1: And that's not even the most incredible part. You see. 74 00:04:24,760 --> 00:04:27,520 Speaker 1: When Terry Fox was first diagnosed with cancer back in 75 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:31,040 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy seven, the doctors had to amputate his right 76 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 1: leg above the knee, which means that he crossed most 77 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 1: of Canada on a heavy, old fashioned prosthetic leg that 78 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:41,919 Speaker 1: wasn't even made for running. That's right. For almost five months, 79 00:04:41,920 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 1: he ran the equivalent of a marathon every single day, 80 00:04:45,400 --> 00:05:01,839 Speaker 1: and he did it on one leg. It was April 81 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:04,680 Speaker 1: twenty first of nineteen fifty one, and for the fifth 82 00:05:04,680 --> 00:05:07,840 Speaker 1: time that week, the game was going into overtime. The 83 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 1: Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadians have been scraping 84 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:14,400 Speaker 1: hard for four long games, all to win the legendary 85 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:17,600 Speaker 1: Stanley Cup, and it seemed like all that blood, sweat 86 00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:20,920 Speaker 1: and fancy skating would come down to this. The final 87 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 1: point in the final game, as the players fought for 88 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:27,479 Speaker 1: that little black puck, one of them surged toward it, 89 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:30,839 Speaker 1: a twenty four year old forward named Bashi and Bill Barilko. 90 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:35,000 Speaker 1: Sliding across the ice in maple Leaf blue, Barillko dove 91 00:05:35,080 --> 00:05:37,880 Speaker 1: through the air, aimed for the puck, and slammed it 92 00:05:37,880 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 1: into the goal. The series was over and Toronto had won. 93 00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:46,120 Speaker 1: The team and Bill were no stranger to championships. In fact, 94 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 1: they had won the Stanley Cup three times in the 95 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:51,920 Speaker 1: previous four seasons, but as they celebrated, they didn't know 96 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:54,280 Speaker 1: that this would be their last Stanley Cup win for 97 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 1: nearly a decade. And as for Barillko. It would be 98 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 1: his last goal ever. Weeks later, on Friday, August twenty 99 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:04,919 Speaker 1: fifth of nineteen fifty one, Bill left for a trip 100 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:08,039 Speaker 1: with his dentist and close friend, Henry Hudson. The two 101 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:10,520 Speaker 1: of them took off in Henry's small plane, planning to 102 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 1: spend a few days fishing in the wilds of Ontario. 103 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 1: According to Bill's mother, Fae Barilko, she warned him not 104 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:18,880 Speaker 1: to go. His father had died on a Friday five 105 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:21,599 Speaker 1: years earlier, and she had a bad feeling about that day, 106 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 1: but Bill just reassured her that he would be fine. 107 00:06:24,760 --> 00:06:29,080 Speaker 1: Bill and Henry never return. The search went on for weeks, 108 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:32,200 Speaker 1: but nothing was ever found. There was no wreckage, no 109 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:35,120 Speaker 1: black box, no sign of them. It was as if 110 00:06:35,120 --> 00:06:37,919 Speaker 1: the plane had just vanished into thin air. Bill and 111 00:06:38,000 --> 00:06:41,520 Speaker 1: Henry had gone missing and were presumed dead. And as 112 00:06:41,560 --> 00:06:44,600 Speaker 1: the shock wore on, a strange cloud seemed to settle 113 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 1: over Bill's team, because after nineteen fifty one, the Leaf's 114 00:06:48,520 --> 00:06:51,640 Speaker 1: winning streak just stopped. The team that was once a 115 00:06:51,800 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 1: champion dynasty couldn't seem to stop losing. Great players came 116 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:58,679 Speaker 1: and went, but the Stanley Cup remained out of reach. 117 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:02,880 Speaker 1: It wasn't until nineteen sixty two, eleven years later, that 118 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 1: something changed. That summer, a helicopter pilot flying over a 119 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 1: remote part of northern Ontario spotted something unusual in the brush. 120 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:14,320 Speaker 1: When investigators arrived, they found the wreckage of a small 121 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:18,320 Speaker 1: plane and inside the remains of Bill Barilko and Henry Hudson. 122 00:07:18,800 --> 00:07:22,880 Speaker 1: The missing maple Leaf had finally been found. Bill was 123 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:26,200 Speaker 1: buried in his hometown in Timmins, Ontario, and finally it 124 00:07:26,240 --> 00:07:28,880 Speaker 1: seemed like the Toronto Maple Leafs and their fans would 125 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:31,679 Speaker 1: have closure. But the same year Bill was laid to rest, 126 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:35,640 Speaker 1: something strange happened. The Maple Leafs started to win again. 127 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,920 Speaker 1: Eleven years after Berrilko's game winning goal, the Leafs won 128 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:42,000 Speaker 1: the Cup and they kept on winning. In the next 129 00:07:42,000 --> 00:07:45,160 Speaker 1: six seasons. They took the Stanley Cup home four separate times. 130 00:07:45,480 --> 00:07:48,480 Speaker 1: It was amazing eleven years of losing and the same 131 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:52,040 Speaker 1: year the mystery of Barilko's disappearance was solved. The streak 132 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 1: ended coincidence, maybe, but in the world of hockey, it 133 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: quickly became a legend, or maybe a curse. People said 134 00:07:59,880 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 1: that the team couldn't win again until Barilko came home, 135 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:05,280 Speaker 1: and once he did, it was as if the weight 136 00:08:05,360 --> 00:08:08,760 Speaker 1: had finally been lifted, well at least four a little while. 137 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:12,000 Speaker 1: Since nineteen sixty seven, the Toronto Maple Leafs have never 138 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:15,320 Speaker 1: again brought home the Stanley Cup. At forty eight seasons, 139 00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 1: it's now the longest championship drought in the history of 140 00:08:18,520 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 1: professional hockey. Even so, Bill Barilko's legend has never faded. 141 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:26,640 Speaker 1: His jersey number five was retired and it currently hangs 142 00:08:26,680 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 1: in Toronto's Scotia Bank Arena, and in nineteen ninety three, 143 00:08:30,160 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 1: Canadian rock band The Tragically Hip immortalized him to a 144 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 1: new generation of Leafs fans. Their song fifty Mission cap 145 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:40,640 Speaker 1: plays every Leafs game as the players warm up, and 146 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 1: as it does, Bill Barilko comes back to the team 147 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:47,000 Speaker 1: that he once led to victory, even if only in spirit. 148 00:08:47,760 --> 00:08:50,240 Speaker 1: Bill Barilko was just twenty four when he left his 149 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:53,440 Speaker 1: mark on Canadian hockey history, and he played only five 150 00:08:53,480 --> 00:08:57,200 Speaker 1: seasons in total in the NHL, But over seventy years later, 151 00:08:57,600 --> 00:09:01,040 Speaker 1: his presence is still felt right there on the ice. 152 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:07,160 Speaker 1: I hope you've enjoyed today's guided tour of the Cabinet 153 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:11,040 Speaker 1: of Curiosities. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, or learn 154 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:15,640 Speaker 1: more about the show by visiting Curiosities podcast dot com. 155 00:09:15,679 --> 00:09:19,280 Speaker 1: The show was created by me Aaron Mankey in partnership 156 00:09:19,320 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 1: with how Stuff Works. I make another award winning show 157 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:26,760 Speaker 1: called Lore, which is a podcast, book series, and television show, 158 00:09:27,040 --> 00:09:28,880 Speaker 1: and you can learn all about it over at the 159 00:09:29,080 --> 00:09:34,280 Speaker 1: Worldoflore dot com. And until next time, stay curious.