Statement from Mayor Tom Dyas on His Return to Office

 I am pleased to announce that starting today I will be resuming my duties as Mayor. 

It has been over a month since my initial injury. I have made substantial progress in my recovery and am excited to return to serving the people of Kelowna. 

I would like to thank everyone for their calls, emails, texts, social media comments, flowers, plants, cards, and prayers. Your individual messages and well wishes during this time have meant the world to me and have greatly helped my recovery. 

I would also like to extend my gratitude to Deputy Mayor Luke Stack for stepping up in my absence, and to all of Council and the senior leadership team at City Hall for their dedication in keeping city business moving forward seamlessly. 

I know there have been questions about what has taken place, and to alleviate any concerns and be as transparent as possible about my health and recovery, I would like to share directly with all of you what occurred. 

On the morning of February 4, 2025, as usual I awoke around 6 a.m. and attended an appointment at 7:30 a.m in the Pandosy area. While driving to City Hall around 8:30 a.m., I stopped at a set of lights at Pandosy and Hwy 97 and sneezed twice. Thinking nothing of it, I continued to City Hall. However, upon arriving, my condition quickly deteriorated. I initially decided to go home to lie down, but as I was driving, I felt something was seriously wrong and decided to go to the hospital instead. 

Upon arriving at the emergency room, all within 45 minutes of the initial sneezes, I was swiftly assessed by the intake department and then met by an incredible team of medical professionals who immediately knew exactly what was happening and what to do. I was diagnosed with a vertebral artery dissection, meaning an artery in the back of my head had split and was beginning to cause a clot. This condition typically occurs in people under 45 years old and is quite rare, happening in about 1 in 100,000 people, with even greater odds as we age. 

I can’t believe that after all the years of sports and physical activity, it was a sneeze that knocked me down. Nevertheless, I am so deeply grateful and blessed for the care and dedication of the entire team at KGH. I cannot thank them enough for their exceptional efforts during the week I was in the hospital. I also want to thank Sandy and my family for all their love and support during this time. 

While I recognize that artery dissections don’t immediately heal after a month, I am making a full recovery. In fact, with some adjustments to my diet and lifestyle, I may very well emerge from this even healthier than before. 

As I return, my focus will continue to be on city business and delivering on the council priorities you told us are important. While it may take me a little bit to ease into attending all social events and engagements, I am thankful for your ongoing support and dedication throughout my recovery. 

It is an honour to serve as the Mayor of Kelowna, and I am very grateful to be returning, healthy, energized, and ready to continue working for the people of Kelowna.