Radio host Mario Hudon, who battled amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) for almost three years, died in Quebec in recent hours.
• Also read: Hello my Mario!
Mario Hudon, 63, wanted December 2nd to be a festive farewell evening and not a sad day of mourning.
However, breathing problems forced him to be hospitalized at the Enfant Jésus Hospital a few days ago. When the family realized he could no longer leave the hospital, they finally announced that the event was canceled.
Mario Hudon had requested medical assistance in dying on December 7, 2023, the day he received his diagnosis in 2020. As a prisoner of his body, he was virtually unable to speak.
“It is with great sadness that I announce the death of my father. “In the last few days the disease has progressed faster than expected,” confirmed his son François.
Mario was also scheduled to attend puck drop for the Quebec Remparts game on Tuesday night at the Videotron Center. His courage and kindness will have left an impact on many people.
It is with great sadness that we learn of Mario Hudon’s death after a long battle against his illness.
We will pay tribute to Mario during our game tomorrow, he will be represented by members of his family as he requested before he leaves us. pic.twitter.com/xBOa0QsYpN
— Quebec Remparts (@quebec_remparts) November 20, 2023
After losing his job, Mario Hudon returned to the CRTQ to become a radio host on several Quebec stations, notably CHRC, CKNU, CHOI, CIMI, CHRC and FM 93. His descriptions of specific LNAH battles remain anthology pieces.
The communicator simply loved talking to and getting to know the people of Quebec. “He was not a sports radio host, but a sports fan who shared his passion with other sports fans,” his son added.
Mario didn’t have time to say goodbye the way he would have liked.
“It’s much better to say hello to the people I love and who are in a good mood than knowing they’re crying in church without me there,” he told the Journal last week.
Mario Hudon faced the illness with courage and dignity. He was a great spokesperson for ALS through his commitment to the cause, raising awareness and popularizing it among the population. We have to remember it. My condolences go out to his entire family.
– Jonatan Julien (@JJulienCAQ) November 20, 2023
Knowing that it affected him, he had taken a lot of time to raise awareness about ALS, Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Just before Christmas 2022, he mentioned that he might ask for medical assistance in dying, “a form of respect for people who have reached their limits,” he said.
Mario Hudon in 2017 archive photo, Stevens LeBlanc
He was very proud of his two grandchildren, Isaac and Nathan. His partner of the last 40 years, Nancy, looked after him until the end. “My eyes just move. “I don’t want her to dust me every now and then!” he said last year, laughing.
Mario Hudon liked to repeat the words of Albert Ladouceur, a former colleague at the Journal de Québec, who also died in 2015 at the age of 63.
“If there’s nothing after that, we won’t know. And if there is something, it might just be fun.”
ALS is the most common motor neuron disease. Gradually, its deterioration leads to the brain no longer being able to initiate and control voluntary muscle movements.. In Canada, 2,500 to 3,000 people are affected and two new cases are discovered per 100,000 people each year.
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