Steve Fonyo stabbed during suspected home invasion in Surrey

Steve Fonyo smiles outside the provincial court in Vancouver in this 1996 file photo. Fonyo, who was a hero for his one-legged run across Canada, was convicted of a string of offences including assault, fraud and perjury. (CANADIAN PRESS/Kim Stallknecht)

Former marathon runner Steve Fonyo was stabbed early Friday morning during a suspected home invasion at his Surrey residence, CTV News has learned.

Three suspects entered Fonyo’s home on 136th Street around 5 a.m. and attacked the 49-year-old “Journey for Lives” runner, who fell on hard times following a number of criminal convictions in the 1990s.

He was rushed to hospital, where he remains in serious condition.

Mounties said their investigation into the attack is in the early stages, but they don’t believe the public was at risk.

“The few details we know at this point would indicate the incident was targeted,” Cpl. Bert Paquet said.

The RCMP hasn’t named Fonyo as the stabbing victim, but his mother Anna confirmed to CTV News that he is in hospital.

Paquet said officers have been called to the home on multiple occasions in the past, and the occupants are known to police.

A woman was also home at the time of the invasion, but she was unharmed and is being interviewed as a witness. The RCMP will also be speaking to Fonyo once he’s been treated for his injuries.

Fonyo lost a leg to cancer as a boy and went on to finish Terry Fox’s cross-Canada marathon, raising millions of dollars for cancer research.

He was given the Order of Canada, though it was revoked in 2010 over a number of convictions against him, including on counts of assault and fraud.

He is currently facing charges of mischief over $5,000 and assault.