'Godfather of Cape Breton Running' has theme song created after him
Cape Breton singer-songwriter Jordan Musycsyn was recently asked to create a theme song for the documentary The Last Leg.
The short film tells the story of how Peter Hanna, a man many call ‘The Godfather of Cape Breton Running', completed the Cabot Trail for a second time at the age of 80, while battling prostate cancer.
"I got a really good sense of who this guy was, and he's just a very inspirational man," Musyscyn said. "Persistence and determination. This man never stopped.”
The documentary's producer says the song, titled One Foot In Front Of The Other, sums up Peter Hanna's accomplishments perfectly.
"Peter, I think he kind of says it at one point in the documentary," said Herbie Sakalauskas, producer of The Last Leg. “He was having a rough day on Leg 6, and he said something like, 'Don't look back. Keep one foot in front of the other and keep going.'"
Both the man behind the movie and the man behind the music say the song and the message behind both aren’t only about running. It’s a fitting metaphor for all of life's challenges lately.
"I think everybody's kind of just living day-to-day, and I think that's the message I kind of wanted to get through here," Musyscyn said.
"Do what you love. Do what you're passionate about in life," Sakalauskas added.
Without a doubt, Hanna, 81, has done just that.
As for the new song, it's hot off the presses. The track and its accompanying music video were released to the public Friday. It's been shared plenty online, but there was one person's feedback Musyscyn was waiting for more than anyone else's.
"I was thrilled to hear that Peter heard the song himself," Musyscyn said. “I was very nervous for him to hear it and I got word that he smiled the whole way through it."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What's a Barnacle? It's yellow, sticks and screams if you try to pry it off your car
Barnacles, bright yellow devices used to make sure parking scofflaws pay their tickets, could soon be making their way to cities across Canada.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
A Nigerian chess champion plays the royal game for 60 hours - a new global chess record
A Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate played chess nonstop for 60 hours in New York City's Times Square to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.
Israeli airstrike in southern Gaza city of Rafah kills at least 9 Palestinians, including 6 children
An Israeli airstrike on a house in Gaza's southernmost city killed at least nine people, six of them children, hospital authorities said Saturday, as Israel pursued its nearly seven-month offensive in the besieged Palestinian territory.