Family, friends and the Calgary Stampeders are mourning former player Tim Petros after he died Monday at 58.
Mark Petros said his brother showed no warning signs before suffering a massive heart attack.
“It was such a shock,” he told Global News.
Mark said Tim would always be there if a person needed help.
“He was my big brother. I always looked up to him. He had the biggest heart in the world. He cared about so many people. We loved him to death and he was a fantastic father, a husband and a great friend,” he said.
“He loved a great laugh. We always laughed together with him — nothing I can really share,” he said with a chuckle.
MVP, Stamps player and business owner
Tim, a born-and-raised Calgarian, was named the Vanier Cup’s MVP when he won the championship with the University of Calgary Dinos in 1983, and joined his hometown CFL team in 1984, playing until 1990.
“In 100 career games, he accumulated 2,228 career rushing yards and 18 touchdowns while adding 141 catches for 1,007 yards,” the Stampeders said in a news release.
“His best season was 1988 when he led the Stamps with 737 rushing yards and scored nine touchdowns while making 49 receptions for 304 yards.”
Outside of football, Tim was part of the Nick’s Steakhouse & Pizza family, and started his own business, Tim’s Gourmet Pizza, in Cochrane in 2013, according to the Stamps.
Husband, father and friend
Former teammate Greg Vavra reiterated what Mark described about Tim’s levity.
“He knew how to laugh… He taught me a great deal about living every day and just not taking life so seriously,” he said.
Vavra said Tim was a generous friend, and a dedicated husband and father.
Tim leaves behind wife Laura, son Nik and daughter Jordan.
– With a file from The Canadian Press