Calgary Philanthropist John Forzani passes away at age 67

Former Stampeder, successful businessman and philanthropist John Forzani has died after suffering from an apparent heart attack in his sleep.

Forzani, who contributed millions to his community, had been rushed to Eisenhower Medical Center in Palm Springs, California and was put on life support.

He died Thursday night around midnight surrounded by his immediate family.

“Death is such a final thing, it takes awhile to kick in and unfortunately for me today, it’s starting to be a realization,” said Tom Forzani. “He was my brother, what can you say?”

“John, he was a special person – one of a kind, brilliant in business, family oriented, conscientious of charities,” he adds. “He supplied the Heart Foundation with spectacular dedication, he was an innovator of ways figuring out how to take care of his employees and he loved to make people laugh.”

The young Forzani describes his brother as a confidante and someone that he could just down and talk to, “he was everything you would want in a brother.”

“This is a very sad day for the organization and we feel the weight of this great loss,” said Stampeders president Gordon Norrie in a release. “There is absolutely no doubt the Stampeders are a better organization and team because of the efforts and dedication of John and his partners.”

“I’m very saddened by John’s passing,” said Stampeders head coach and general manager John Hufnagel. “He was a teammate, a friend and a hunting buddy. John was very instrumental in my return to the Stampeders organization in 2008 and I’m very proud of what we were all able to build here together.”

After a six year stint as a lineman with the Stamps, Forzani along with his brothers Joe and Tom, helped build a chain of successful sporting goods stores.

The company he helped create, FGL Sports has also released a statement; “John Forzani was an entrepreneur, a leader and a great Canadian who made a deep and positive impression on everyone he came in contact with. The whole team at FGL Sports and the Canadian Tire Family of companies are mourning his loss today. Our thoughts are with John’s family and many friends,” said Michael Medline, President of Canadian Tire Corporation.

Mayor Naheed Nenshi said Forzani did so much for the Calgary community.

“The guy was a great football player and he comes from that amazing football family,” he said. “I’m sure that when he started his business people thought, ‘OK, a football player starting a business is that going to work?’ and of course he built it into one of the great Canadian retailers of all time and I know that when he sold the business he was really looking forward to spending more time with family, and doing more in the community, and it’s just a tragedy to lose him so young.”

Family members have already started making plans to return John Forzani to Calgary, a funeral service/memorial is “in the works.”