Former Saint Mary's University offensive lineman and Charles P. Allen High School coach Jean-Michel Sylvain passed away Saturday after less than a year battling osteosarcoma, a type of cancer. He was 41-years-old.

Sylvain was part of the team that won SMU the Vanier Cup, the championship trophy of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), in 2001.

"Jean-Michel was a very kind, considerate, always smiling, he was always positive, a gentle giant in the true sense of the words and he cared abut everybody," said Ryan Jones, a friend and former teammate of Sylvain's.

'When he talked, everyone listened'

Jones was a quarterback for the Huskies at Saint Mary's and says he and Sylvain were part of a core group of players who all played together from 1997 to 2001. He says Sylvain was a great leader on the team.

"Jean-Michel would only have to say a few words and he would get that person in line, whether they were a rookie or even a veteran ... when he talked, everyone listened."

Jones and Slyvain stayed friends after university. He says they both married women from Nova Scotia and are young dads. Sylvain was born in Haiti, but was raised in Quebec.

'He fought it very, very hard'

Jean-Michel Sylvain surrounded by former teammates at the hospital. (Submitted)

When Jones heard about Slyvain's cancer diagnosis, he says he was shocked.

"To be diagnosed with something so traumatic, It was difficult for everybody because we all love and respect Jean-Michel. We didn't want to believe that he wasn't going to beat this thing and he fought it very, very hard. It's very unfortuante."

Slyvain's brother-in-law and sister-in-law started a fund to raise money for Sylvain's wife and two children. Teammates and players he coached banded together to spread the word.

Help for the family

Jean-Michel Sylvain with his wife Trilby and two children (Submitted)

"With Jean's passing, there's a big burden on them and we want to make sure that burden is alleviated."

Jones says he'll miss Sylvain's smile and his ability to make people around him feel important.

"When you saw Jean, you left there feeling like a million bucks because he was always very interested in what you're doing and what's going on in your life and he was always very positive .. he just made you feel so good."

'It truly is heartbreaking'

Sylvain was Duncan Patterson's offensive lineman football coach in Grade 10 at Charles P. Allen High School in the autumn of 2013. Patterson recalls the moment when he heard his former coach's condition took a turn for the worse.

"It truly is heartbreaking. We couldn't understand why something like that would happen to such a great guy," said Patterson.

Patterson made a YouTube video to help with the fundraiser for Sylvain's family. He says the team also held a bottle drive and sold t-shirts to help Sylvain's wife and children. He says the team so far has raised around $2,000.

"He loved what he did. He loved working with all the kids on the football team and he was always there to answer any questions ... and he really cared about what he did ... an all around good guy."