Mel Fitzgerald

Melvin Leo Fitzgerald CM (20 July 1953 – 2 October 2023) was a Canadian Paralympic athlete.^[1][2]

Mel Fitzgerald

CM

Fitzgerald (right) is congratulated after winning the 800 meters, 1980
Personal information
Born	(1953-07-20)20 July 1953 Trepassey, Newfoundland, Canada
Died	2 October 2023(2023-10-02) (aged 70) New Zealand
Sport
Country	Canada
Sport	Athletics, Wheelchair racing
Medal record Athletics at the Summer Paralympics Representing  Canada Paralympics 1980 Arnhem Men's 800m 5 1980 Arnhem Men's 1500m 5 1980 Arnhem Men's 100m 5 1980 Arnhem Men's 4x100m relay 2-5 1984 Stoke Mandeville / New York Men's marathon 5 1984 Stoke Mandeville / New York Men's 1500m 5 1984 Stoke Mandeville / New York Men's 5000m 5 1984 Stoke Mandeville / New York Men's 800m 5

Biography

Fitzgerald was born in Trepassey, Newfoundland in July 1953.^[3] He competed in athletics in the 1980 and 1984 Paralympics, winning eight medals. He used a wheelchair since the age of two, when he was afflicted with polio.^[4] He was named a Member of the Order of Canada (CM) in 1982,^[5] and in 2018 was inducted into the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association Hall of Fame.^[6]

On 2 October 2023, Fitzgerald died from cardiovascular disease in New Zealand, where he had been living. He was 70.^[2]