Saskatchewan

'That's what she would want': Fiancé commits to Terry Fox Run

The 36th annual Terry Fox Run in Regina Sunday gave people supporting the battle against cancer an opportunity to be together. It was especially important to Tyler Whitten, whose fiancée Kimber-Leigh Schmidt died Wednesday.

36th annual Terry Fox Run in Regina

At the Terry Fox Run in Regina, to honour Kimber-Leigh Schmidt, were [left to right] Riki Schmidt, Tyler Whitten and Lyndsey Schmidt. (Dean Gutheil/CBC)

The 36th annual Terry Fox Run in Regina Sunday gave people supporting the battle against cancer an opportunity to be together. It was especially important to Tyler Whitten, whose fiancée Kimber-Leigh Schmidt died Wednesday.

Kimber-Leigh Schmidt was first diagnosed at 25 and died on Wednesday — one day after she turned 32. (CBC)

"I'm doing it because that's what she would want," Whitten, who was supported by several family members on the run, said Sunday. "She was a big supporter of the Terry Fox Foundation and raised a lot of money over the past few years."

Schmidt and Whitten were a couple for 13 years. They'd bought a house together and became engaged even as Schmidt went through difficult bouts with cancer.

"We've gone through a lot together," Whitten said. Schmidt was first diagnosed at 25 and died one day after she turned 32.

Whitten said the Terry Fox Run was very important to her.

"After her leg was amputated, she came and did the whole lake — ran around the whole lake on crutches," he said.

The Regina event, which had participants walking, running and cycling around Wascana Lake, raises money for cancer research.