“Million Dollar Jim” Terrion, standing beside the statue of Terry Fox outside the Canfor Leisure Pool, celebrated his $1 million fundraising success Friday, June 13 with Mayor Simon Yu, former MLA Shirley Bond, Fox's brother Fred Fox and a group of supporters to commemorate his lifetime of fundraising achievements.
Terrion was met with words of encouragement and celebration as his decades of grassroots fundraising efforts were recognized.
To date, Terrion has raised $1,000,316.10 for the Terry Fox Foundation and cancer research.
He is one of only four people in Canada to raise this amount for the cause and the only person in British Columbia to do so.
Among those gathered was Fred Fox, Terry Fox’s older brother, who spoke about when he first realized the scope of Terrion’s efforts. He recalled a moment from 1993 when he came across a stack of pledge sheets totalling $47,000.
“The amazing thing was that most of that $47,000 — most of the pledges and donations in Jim's name — were $1 donations, $2, $4, $5 and $10,” said Fox. “There were also some larger donations, of course, but the significant thing about those smaller amounts is that it's exactly how Terry raised money when he was running across Canada. People would hand Terry $5 bills, $2 bills. It's this grassroots fundraising that's gotten the Terry Fox Foundation to where it is today.”
Terrion's efforts are truly grassroots — he travels on foot, going door-to-door to homes and local businesses with his pledge sheets.
Former MLA Shirley Bond also addressed the crowd to celebrate Terrion’s achievements.
“Today, we celebrate you, Jim, and we thank you for reminding us that yes, one person can make an extraordinary difference,” said Bond. “It started with Terry Fox, and now we have our very own Million Dollar Jim. You walked in Terry's footsteps. You kept his dream alive, and now we all need to do our part to finish it.”
Yu closed the celebration by proclaiming June 9 to 15 as Million Dollar Jim Week in Prince George. He also presented Terrion with a pair of Prince George socks to support his ongoing fundraising efforts.
In an interview with The Citizen, Terrion reflected on the moment that stood out most in his 34 years of fundraising.
“I started on the scene in September 1991,” he said. “When I first saw the Bank of Montreal pledge — I saw that name on the pledge sheet — that's when things started rolling. That was an incredible moment.”
Since May 8, 2025, Terrion has raised over $33,000 to push him past the $1-million mark. The final donation came from Selan Alpay of the Prince George Canadian Tire, who sent a $5,000 cheque to cap off Terrion’s decades-long effort.
Terrion expressed deep gratitude to the communities that supported him.
“I just feel so incredible about that support — both in Prince Rupert and Prince George — the support has been absolutely incredible,” he said. “I've been in the businesses and canvassing door-to-door. And it's been amazing. Just marvellous.”
Fred Fox also spoke to The Citizen about how it feels to see Terrion carry forward his younger brother’s legacy.
“I think that's what Terry wanted to do when he was running across Canada,” said Fox. “He was running to raise money for cancer research, but he hoped to inspire people to go beyond their own disabilities, to go beyond their challenges and do something.
“He would be happy to know that all these years later, that continues — and the way he's inspired Jim, who has a different disability than Terry did, to still unite a community and fundraise for research.”
Prince George holds a special place in Terry Fox's story. It was here, during the Prince George to Boston Marathon in 1979, that he decided to launch the Marathon of Hope.
Fox reflected on what it meant to witness this milestone take place in such a symbolic location.
“It really couldn't be any better,” he said. “It's so symbolic for this to happen here in Prince George. Terry's original goal was $1 million, and Jim has reached that. Terry’s goal may have changed, but Jim’s reached that — and to be able to celebrate just a few feet from where Terry finished the Prince George to Boston Marathon, which was a turning point in his decision to run across Canada — it’s pretty cool.”
Terrion has no plans to stop now. In fact, he resumed his fundraising immediately after the announcement, going door-to-door and collecting two $100 donations during the celebration.
He has now raised an additional $316 over the $1-million mark — and he’s just getting started.
