The Nova Scotia football community is grieving the loss of beloved coach and former football player Jean Michel Sylvain who passed away this past Saturday.
The 41 year old lost his battle with a rare form of cancer called Osteosarcoma. He was in palliative care and passed away peacefully.
Recently, Sylvain volunteered his time instructing as an assistant coach with the Charles P Allen Cheetahs of the Nova Scotia Student Athletic Federation Football League (NSSAFFL).
As a player, the former offensive lineman helped AUS team, Saint Mary’s Huskies win the Vanier Cup in 2001. Sylvain was recognized nationally as he was the recipient of the JP Metras Trophy as the CIS’ Most Outstanding Lineman that same year.
Sylvan was a native of Haiti but raised in Montreal, Quebec. He moved to Halifax in 1997 to suit up for the Huskies and graduated from the school with a Bachelor of Commerce degree.
Last weekend, several former teammates came together and went to Sylvain’s house to help out with maintenance of the yard and exterior of the house. Among those who assisted was current UBC Thunderbirds Head Coach Blake Nill.
Sylvain is survived by his wife Trilby as well as his two children Callia and Kaelan.
Visitation is scheduled for Thursday between 2-4pm and 7-9pm at JA Snow Funeral Home located at 339 Lacewood Drive in Halifax. A Celebration of Life will be held this Friday at the same location at 11:00am.
CanadaFootballChat.com expresses our condolences to the Sylvain family during this difficult time.
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