An aspiring sportscaster, shot and killed behind the wheel of his car in Etobicoke this week, was on the verge of his big break, friends and colleagues say.

Jonathan Gayle-West was remembered by his former colleagues at Rogers Sportsnet and TSN, many of whom expressed their grief via social media, while others took time out during regular broadcast of their shows this week to memorialize the endearing and beloved 29-year-old.

The hosts of SportsCentre with Jay and Dan, took a pause in their show to remember Gayle-West, a man they described as a great guy, with a gregarious demeanour and infectious smile.

“We got some devastating news,” said Jay Onrait about Gayle-West, whom he credited for working behind the scenes on their popular show.

Gayle-West was a member of the production team at TSN where he worked with Onrait and Dan O’Toole, BarDown, TSN 1050 and in the newsroom, the outlet said in a tweet.

“He was working on this show this week,” said Onrait, referencing once of the last shifts Gayle-West would do at the sports network before his death. “He was the first person you always saw when you walked into the studio. He was always smiling. Just a terrific young guy.

“He wanted to be a SportsCentre anchor and he was about to do an audition,” said Onrait, who noted that the hosting duo had given him some tips on how to make a big impression. “We really believed that he was going to be star, like a TV star. ”

“We really feel for his family, especially his mom,” he said.

Dan O’Toole painted the portrait of a colleague who worked in several departments at TSN.

“He worked in the newsroom, he worked in the social media department, he worked all around this building,” O’Toole said. “In a short time here, I don’t think there is single person in this building that didn’t know who he was, whose day he didn’t brighten with his smile.”

Gayle-West, of Oshawa, was pronounced dead at the scene, near Islington Ave. and St. Andrews Blvd.

Police said they found him in the driver’s seat of his car, which had struck a tree. It was the city’s 93rd homicide of the year. Toronto police had no updates to share in relation to case Friday.

Tim Micallef, the co-host of Tim and Sid on Sportsnet 360, talked about dealing with a “tough day” after losing a “friend and a former co-worker,” who left an indelible mark, with “his remarkable upbeat, positive and engaging personality. To say he will be grossly missed seems like an understatement. He won’t be forgotten.”

Gayle-West had a passion for all sports, but he was particularly dedicated to wrestling, making cameos on Sportsnet’s Aftermath show and serving as an announcer with Superkick’d Pro Wrestling Rock Show.

Kris Chambers, the owner of the Superkick’d, which hosts a monthly wrestling event drawing hundreds to a venue in Toronto, said Gayle-West worked there for more than two years.

“The Great Hall is where he would have announced every single month for past two years,” Chambers told the Star on Friday. “This show (Dec. 14) we will be dedicating to him. He was one of the main voices of Superkick’d. He really loved the sport.”

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Chambers said Gayle-West was relentless with his pursuit to become a sports anchor and feels his friends unwavering determination was on the cusp of a big breakthrough.

“He would have made it as far as he wanted to go,” Chambers told the Star. “He was a very special person.”

In a sombre video posted to Facebook on Thursday, Gayle-West’s cousin, Dwayne Gayle shared fond memories of their bond and time shared.

“Didn’t think this day would come,” Gayle laments in the video. “You were the best cousin. It is tough.”

Correction — December 18, 2018: This article was edited from a previous version that misstated Dwayne Gayle’s surname.