The sudden death of an Alberta father this month has devastated his family and community.

Jayson Gorski died while working near Elk Point, Alta. on the evening of Dec. 17. Gorski, an oil rig motorman, was working for Stampede Drilling when a heart aneurysm ruptured, his sister-in-law Shelley Gorski told CBC News on Sunday.

"Apparently, he didn't suffer at all. Before he hit the ground, he was gone," she said in a telephone interview.

Alberta Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) was notified of a death at the Elk Point CNRL site. On Monday, an OHS spokesperson confirmed that an investigation is ongoing, but that the agency has confirmed the death was a medical event.

Gorski, 41, was a single dad, raising his three children: Jayden, 12, Angie, 11, and Brooklyn, 6.

"His children were his world," Shelley said. "He tried his best to provide for them. You couldn't have asked for a better father."

Jayson Gorski holds his daughter Brooklyn. Gorski, 41, died on Dec. 17, 2019. (Jayson Gorski/Facebook)

All three kids were at home in Boyle, Alta., in the care of a live-in nanny when Jayson was away at work, Shelley said. Boyle is about 160 kilometres north of Edmonton.

It's been a tough period for the family. Shelley's husband ⁠— Jayson's brother ⁠— died seven months ago.

The children are staying with Jayson's other brother and his wife, who have three kids of their own. The aunt and uncle have begun the process of seeking custody of Jayson's three children, whose mother is not in their lives, Shelley said.

She described the three siblings as "unbelievably strong kids," and said they are well-supported by their close-knit family.

"The kids have been through so much," she said. "They're doing exceptionally well right now."

In the wake of the tragedy, there's been an outpouring of community support, Shelley said. The family has been inundated with calls, visits and offers of food. An online fundraiser has drawn donations from friends and strangers alike, and staff and other members of the Boyle School community have offered support for the children.

"It's overwhelming, the support, but very much welcomed and appreciated," Shelley said. "We are a very tight family."

Jayson spent most of his career working in Alberta's oil industry. He is survived by his three children, his father, and his three remaining siblings and their families, most of whom live in northern Alberta.