SASKATOON — Despite weather stalling his journey eastward, Trevor Redmond is determined to finish the coast-to-coast walk that he started over a year ago. He had to make two stops while in Saskatoon, first at the Saskatoon West RV Park and again at the Gordie Howe Campground, after previously spending few days in Langham due to a storm.
This is the third time Redmond will cross Canada, having previously walked and cycled coast to coast. He is now running to complete the trifecta, but his goal is not to set any record, but rather to give hope to people living with physical, emotional and spiritual trauma. He was inspired by the courageous acts of fellow Canadians Terry Fox and Rick Hansen.
Redmond's latest cross-country journey is his own way of turning a devastating childhood injury into a lifelong journey of encouragement. Despite heavy rain and storms forcing him to wait for safer conditions, his determination remains unchanged as he continues his coast-to-coast mission to reach as many Canadians as possible.
He has already travelled more than 38,000 kilometres through walking, cycling and now running, and every kilometre he completes is about helping someone overcome adversity, such as those who are suffering from physical and emotional trauma, people he wants to inspire and encourage to keep moving.
Redmond’s mission began when he was struck by a vehicle when he was 15, an accident that nearly cost him his leg, resulted in a month in the hospital and left him with an open wound for more than a year after he needed 12 operations. Those difficult times showed him what trauma feels like and now drive him to complete his journey across the country.
His latest adventure began in Halifax before stretching across Canada to Vancouver Island. After reaching Campbell River, he turned around and began making the return journey east. Along the way, he has accumulated more than 12,800 kilometres on this run alone, adding to previous cross-country expeditions that included walking more than 11,400 kilometres and cycling more than 14,600 kilometres.
"I know what trauma was about. I really want to go out and tell my story of how to overcome trauma to the best of my ability. Rather than allowing my injury to define me, I transformed it into a platform for inspiring others who are facing seemingly impossible challenges,” said Redmond, who approaches with humility the comparisons people have made between him and Fox.
"It's heartbreaking to me when people compare me to Terry. I know I travelled farther, but we must not overlook the sacrifice Terry made. Terry wanted to run across Canada. He lost the opportunity when he lost his life to cancer. He never got to see the success and lasting impact of his efforts. Another one is Hansen, who lost both of his legs, and he wheelchaired around the world.”
Fox and Hansen’s experiences gave him hope that a disability or traumatic injury did not have to limit a person's future, as he tries to preserve their legacy while also celebrating Canada's health-care system that saved his leg with the help of the staff at Victoria General Hospital in Halifax, offering every kilometre he completes as a tribute to them.
Redmond has also experienced extraordinary acts of kindness from strangers, and recalled arriving in an Ontario community shortly before Halloween, where families left their homes to greet him with food, encouragement and donations instead of waiting for trick-or-treaters. What should have been a one-kilometre walk stretched into three hours because so many people stopped to support him.
The generosity extended beyond words. That evening alone, Redmond received more than $1,000 in donations, which were directed toward mental health and addiction programs through the Dollar A Day Foundation. He says supporting mental wellness has become one of the central goals of his cross-country journey.
Redmond has even written music to encourage people struggling with mental illness and addiction. One of his songs, "I'm Learning to Love You Again," was written for families whose loved ones are seeking treatment, as he wanted to try to help them know that there are people who care for them and are there to support them in conquering the mental, physical and even spiritual trauma they are experiencing.
“I think more of my cross-country expeditions — walking, cycling and running across the country, in separate journeys — as a philosophy rather than an athletic achievement. Keep a healthy mind, keep a healthy body and keep a healthy spirit. That's what keeps us healthy, and it keeps our friends and family healthy,” he added.
Although finding a place to sleep each night can depend on hotels, campgrounds or generous families opening their homes, Redmond says the greatest reward is never the accommodation itself, but rather the conversations that he gets to have with the families that welcomed him to stay, which are memorable moments in the countless connections he has made in communities from coast to coast.
