Al Raine, first and only mayor of Sun Peaks, dead at 83 after battle with ALS

Al Raine, who served as the mayor of Sun Peaks Mountain Resort Municipality for 14 years, died Saturday at age 83, one day after resigning from his position.

In a statement, the municipality said Raine died peacefully, surrounded by family.

In May, Raine announced he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which causes progressive paralysis, as the brain is no longer able to communicate with muscles. ALS has no known cure.

Raine leaves behind his wife, former Canadian senator and Olympic alpine skier Nancy Greene Raine, and their two children, Charley and Willy.

Raine was the first, and to date the only, mayor of Sun Peaks, since the community became a municipality in 2010.

He wrote a letter to the community upon his resignation, which the municipality shared Saturday as part of its release.

It reads, in part: "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."

Raine, pictured second from right with the rest of Sun Peaks council, announced in May that he had been diagnosed with ALS. (Sun Peaks Municipality)

Prior to his time in office, Raine was a skier and ski coach.

According to the Canadian Ski Hall of Fame and Museum (CSHFM), Raine became a consultant for ski area development and policy.

In 1981, he became executive director of the Whistler Resort Association, the CSHFM says. A few years later, he and his wife, established Nancy Greene's Olympic Lodge in Whistler Village. The pair later relocated to Sun Peaks, where they ran Nancy Greene's Cahilty Lodge.

WATCH | Archival story of how Al Raine and Nancy Greene helped build Whistler: 

Darcy Alexander, a long time friend of Raine's and CEO of Sun Peaks Resort, said Raine was "a visionary" who long ago saw what Sun Peaks could be and "worked tirelessly to fulfil that vision."

"He had a lot of respect for people. He had a lot of integrity," Darcy told CBC's Daybreak Kamloops host Shelley Joyce on Monday morning.

Brian Mcleod (middle) enjoys a day on the slopes at age 86 with former senator Nancy Greene Raine and Sun Peaks Mayor Al Raine. (Doug Herbert/CBC)

Raine, a passionate skier, put on his skis for the last time about 10 days ago, Alexander said.

It was that passion for the sport, Alexander said, that motivated Raine to serve the community of Sun Peaks.

A celebration of life is planned for Jan. 15 at the Sun Peaks Centre.