Story highlights Ford was diagnosed with cancer in 2014

He gained international notoriety after denying, then admitting to using crack cocaine

He was a City Council member at the time of his death

(CNN) Former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford has died, according to his chief of staff, Dan Jacobs.

Ford, who had been battling an aggressive form of cancer , served for a decade as a city councilor before being elected mayor in 2010.

The 46-year-old Ford gained international notoriety after a video surfaced in May 2013 that apparently showed him using crack cocaine.

He was re-elected to the City Council in 2014 and was serving in that role at the time of his death.

His family had said Monday that he was "resting comfortably" in palliative care at Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital, adding he was sometimes being sedated to help him deal with pain.

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