Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/609048
28 simon FALL 2015 (AQUILINI) PETER HOLST; (TRIANO) TONIA COWAN; (GARDY) ADAM BLASBERG TERRY FOX Perhaps no other SFU alumnus embodies the spirit of trailblazing and change making as much as Terry Fox. A basketball player and distance runner from Port Coquitlam, B.C., Fox was a first-year kinesiology student at SFU when he lost his leg to cancer in 1977. Three years later, with his cancer in remis- sion, Fox capitalized on his athletic abilities in a quest to help cure the disease. At 22 years old, he set out on a cross-Canada run, dubbed the Marathon of Hope, to raise one dollar per Canadian for cancer research. He first flew to Newfoundland, where he dipped his artificial leg in the Atlantic Ocean before beginning a gruelling one-legged journey to finish the run with an equivalent dip in the Pacific Ocean. For 143 days and more than 5,373 kilometres, Fox inspired Canadians to run alongside him, by day and by night, keeping hope alive in the fight to cure cancer. He ran an astounding 26 miles per day. But later that year his cancer returned, and Fox was forced to cut his marathon short in Thunder Bay, Ontario. He passed away in June 1981, but his spirit, perseverance and strength continue to live on. Since 1981, Terry Fox Runs have taken place every year across Canada and in 60 countries around the world. It's the world's largest one-day fundraiser for cancer research, having raised close to $700 million. Terry's audacious goal of curing cancer has inspired countless followers to attempt their own feats of endurance and strength to raise money for the cause. In 2004, Fox was voted one of the great- est Canadians of all time in a CBC-sponsored contest. He will forever remain one of SFU's greatest legacies. JAY TRIANO With a lifelong passion for basketball, Jay Triano (BA'82, PDP'87) has hit slam dunks both on and off the court, and it all started at SFU. As a player in the late '70s, he set 11 Clan records, which resulted in an NBA draft from the L.A. Lakers. But Triano had other post-university ambitions— the Canadian national team, with which he played for more than 10 years. He participated in the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games before going on to play pro basketball internationally. He later returned to SFU to coach his alma mater, then went on to coach the men's national team all the way to the 2000 Sydney Olympics. His coaching career also included stints with the Toronto Raptors and the Portland Trail Blazers. Triano most recently led Canada to a silver medal finish at the Pan Am Games in Toronto. Q W Carol Huynh, 2004 SFU BA grad, became only the second Canadian to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling when she triumphed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Huynh was originally recruited to the Burnaby Mountain Wrestling Club by SFU coach Mike Jones. R R W MARGARET TRUDEAU While her last name may be what made her famous, it's Margaret Trudeau's work as an author, actress and photographer that gave Canadians the first glimpse at her talents. After studying English Literature at SFU, she married Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau at just 22 years of age. In her recent autobiography, Changing My Mind, Trudeau opens up about her mar- riage and her battle with bipolar disorder. She now speaks across the country on mental health issues, and works with WaterCan, a charity dedicated to providing clean drinking water to the world's poorest areas. W While Michael Audain's career has focused on real estate development, he's best known in B.C. for his passionate role as patron of the arts. The chair of Polygon Homes and award- winning philanthropist has provided financial support for SFU's Audain Gallery at the School for Contempo- rary Arts, as well as many major galleries around B.C. He has been awarded three honorary doctorate degrees, including one from SFU, the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal, the SFU President's Distinguished Commu- nity Leadership Award, the Order of British Columbia and the Order of Canada. FRANCESCO AQUILINI Best-known as the owner of the Vancouver Canucks and Rogers Arena, business leader Francesco Aquilini also oversees real estate ventures (he builds, owns and manages residential buildings, golf courses and hotels), dining (he recently acquired Top Table restaurant group) and charity (he supports a multitude of local charities). The multi-faceted entrepreneur and SFU business admin grad is the managing director of Vancouver-based Aquilini Investment Group, and is known for using strategic initiatives to grow his unique portfolio of businesses. He also honours his Italian heritage through support for the Italian Gardens in Hastings Park.