With his wife hospitalized, Kamloops mayor misses council meeting

The mayor of Kamloops missed this week’s council meeting as his wife spends her second week at Royal Inland Hospital.

Mayor Reid Hamer-Jackson said his wife, Lori Hamer-Jackson, “almost died” two weeks ago and has been in hospital due to pneumonia since then. He said she’s now stable but “not out of the woods.”

“Never thought thought I’d have to phone my three kids and tell them there’s a chance they might never see their mother again,” he said. “It was this close to putting her under and on life support.”

In a photo he shared with iNFOnews.ca, she is seen in a hospital bed assisted by a breathing tube.

He missed a city council meeting today, June 23, and it appears city officials weren’t aware he would be absent.

“For the record and for the public, we started late. Mayor Hamer-Jackson did not show up to the meeting today, nor did he give us notice he was not going to be here today,” Coun. Mike O’Reilly said in council chambers as he stepped in to chair the meeting.

Hamer-Jackson told iNFOnews.ca he sent O’Reilly a text message early this morning, asking he lead the meeting in his absence.

The mayor said he was grateful to the hard-working hospital staff for their care over the past two weeks. He also pointed out his concern for the older section of the hospital, with its ageing infrastructure and small rooms.

Hamer-Jackson attributed Lori’s worsening condition to the chaotic saga at city hall in which he’s often centred. He wasn’t sure yet when she’ll be discharged or how long he may be away from city duties.

“Lor (sic) is here due in part to liars and sources,” a text message from the mayor reads, alluding to the drama between himself and city officials, and to subsequent media coverage.