Peter Worthington, the veteran newspaperman who co-founded the Toronto Sun, has died. He was 86.

His wife, Yvonne Crittenden, confirmed that her husband died on Sunday night.

The Toronto Sun said Monday on its website that Worthington was admitted to Toronto General Hospital last Thursday and diagnosed with a serious staph infection that compromised his heart, kidneys and other organs.

The Sun said he passed away at about midnight Sunday in hospital, surrounded by his wife and family, including his grandchildren.

Worthington, along with J. Douglas Creighton and Don Hunt, founded the Sun in 1971, along with about 60 former staffers from the defunct Toronto Telegram.

He served as executive editor and editor-in-chief of the paper, and also made two unsuccessful runs for political office.

During his career, he won four National Newspaper Awards, a National Newspaper Citation and was also named to the Canadian News Hall of Fame, the Sun said.