In the early morning of May 20, my fit, strong 44-year-old brother Jacques awoke feeling unwell and passed away shortly thereafter from an apparent heart issue. He loved generously and gave of himself graciously as a son, brother and husband. But he saved his best for the role he cherished most in life: father to his two children, Gavin and Camryn.

He loved and cherished his time with them so deeply that he decided to become a stay-at-home dad after years in the workforce. He thrived and drew joy from the simple things it entailed – picking the kids up from school, helping with homework and packing their lunches. He loved spending time with Gavin going to car shows, mountain biking and riding motorcycles. He proudly joined his daughter Camryn for the father-daughter dance and enjoyed spending time working together on art projects. In short, he was the father that any child would be proud to call Dad.

In addition to our immense grief, his beloved wife Amanda and extended family are left to fill the enormous vacuum created by his loss. We are deeply committed to doing this in his memory for his children. In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to this fund to cover the children’s educational or other major expenses. Our sincere thanks for your kindness and generosity, and may his memory sustain us today and always.