It is with great sadness that the Concordia Stinger family finds itself mourning the tragic death of Ryan Francis, a first-year player with the men’s rugby team.
Last Sunday, Ryan was participating in a local indoor touch league when he sat down to rest and began to struggle with his breathing. Despite the best efforts of trained personnel at the event, ambulance technicians and the medical staff at Sacré Coeur Hospital he could not be revived. He died of heart failure due to a congenital heart defect
Ryan, 20, grew up in Côte St. Luc and went on to study at Royal West Academy, Marianopolis College and then Concordia, where he was studying Political Science.
He played rugby for several years and made many friends with TMR, the Montreal Barbarians, the Montreal Caribou and the Stingers.
A rookie centre, Ryan was admired by his Concordia teammates for his dedication to hard work both on and off the field. He was constantly striving for excellence in everything he did. This, coupled with his never failing joie de vivre serves as a shining example of what it takes to get the most you can out of everyday of your life.
He is survived by his father Richard, his mother Lise and will be dearly missed by his grandparents, aunts and uncles, cousins and many friends.
