Incumbent Kamloops mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson wasn’t heard from for days and rumours of an emergency that put him in hospital swirled in business and civic circles, but he broke his silence Friday morning.

He sent an email to news media and a handful of supporters at 8 a.m., but he has not responded to several efforts from iNFOnews.ca to reach him directly.

iNFOnews.ca received an anonymous tip on Wednesday, Oct. 14 that suggested Hamer-Jackson had a heart attack and was treated at Kelowna General Hospital. After attempting to reach him and others for confirmation, the rumour appeared to have already circulated among election candidates and the business community.

However, multiple efforts since Wednesday afternoon to reach Hamer-Jackson, his wife, son and campaign adviser Arthur Loring to confirm his well-being have not been answered. Meanwhile, his campaign has posted multiple pre-recorded social media videos of Hamer-Jackson speaking to the camera in the past day.

Financial agent for his campaign, Laura Strong, expressed concern when asked for an update, but said she hadn’t talked to Hamer-Jackson in several days.

“We talk maybe once a week, but that’s about it. I’m going to call him now because I haven’t heard,” she said on Thursday.

He did not attend a Wednesday election forum, backing out that morning for “personal reasons,” iNFOnews.ca has learned, but it was also one of multiple forums where he didn’t show up.

Over the last several weeks, Hamer-Jackson has been collectively emailing city officials and news media to gripe about months-old city hall disputes or news stories. They came almost daily, but stopped Monday morning until another was sent on Friday morning.

The Oct. 16 email, sent at 8 a.m., was a continuation of a complaint over a Castanet news story. It’s not clear whether he is recovering from a health issue or is in Kamloops as he has ignored repeated efforts to contact him.

His only contact with iNFOnews.ca came at 3 p.m., Oct. 16, after this story published and it did not address any questions. He asked that his election party be advertised, adding that iNFOnews.ca staff are “not welcome.”