PASSINGS – Sun Peaks Mayor Al Raine dies after battle with rare form of ALS

Sun Peaks Mayor Al Raine has died. A notice posted today (Dec. 15, 2024) by the municipality announced his passing.

“It is with heavy hearts we announce the passing of Mayor Al Raine,” the announcement said. “He passed away peacefully surrounded by his wife Nancy Green Raine and his family. Staff and Council mourn the loss of our Mayor, our friend and our dedicated community leader. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.”

Raine announced in May he had been diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or Bulbar ALS, a terminal disease.

“It attacks the face, throat and neck areas before the limbs. How fast it progresses is unknown as it is different between each individual,” he stated at the time. “It will impact my speech, eating and eventually breathing.”

He said he would eventually have to step down as mayor but would work with council and municipal staff to ensure a smooth transition.

“I can accept my fate as I truly have lived a wonderful life and at 82, one is close to reaching the end,” he told residents in a message on the municipality’s website.

Raine served as the resort municipality’s first and only mayor since it was incorporated in 2010. As the disease progressed, he carried on his mayoral duties despite an increasing speech impairment.

A celebration of life will be held at the Sun Peaks Centre on Jan. 15.

The municipality posted a message to the community from the mayor today:

Dear Sun Peaks Community,

I have resigned as your Mayor as of December 14th at midnight.  Not something that I had planned or something that I really wanted to do.  However, as we all know one can’t control everything in life.

My ALS combined with adult-onset asthma has made breathing more and more difficult with each passing day.  ALS is interesting in that no two people follow the exact same path but rest assured, it is a horrible disease, and the end is not pretty.  I have been lucky to have lived a full life with no regrets, with a supporting and wonderful wife, two healthy boys and a life full of adventures.  I would have been upset if I were 38 years old and diagnosed with ALS but at 83, the best years are behind me.

It was a great privilege to have been Mayor of Sun Peaks and work with your elected representatives.  Sun Peaks has great potential, and it can be even better if we all look after our guests, count our blessings and continue to make visitors feel special.  I had hoped to see the employee only rental building burst out of the ground, but it is coming along, just a little too slow for my schedule.  Always remember, the Sun Peaks people make the difference in whether our guests return or go somewhere else.  The community makes people feel special and that is why people love Sun Peaks.

Thanks for sharing this journey!

Respectfully,

Al Raine