Wishing Ford well

There’s shock at the suddenness of his hospitalization. Rob Ford seemed so vigorous — positively energized on the campaign trail — just days before an emergency CT scan detected a substantial tumour in his abdomen.

There’s heartfelt sympathy for his family, especially Ford’s two young children. They, more than anyone, deserve support at this troubled time.

And, above all, there’s hope — that all will go well, with the tumour removed and Ford back on his feet, to the relief of the city at large.

To help make that happen, Ford was transferred to Mount Sinai Hospital on Thursday, from Humber River Hospital where the growth was detected the previous day. All Torontonians should wish him well.

It’s no secret that this newspaper’s editorials have stood in staunch opposition to Ford and his agenda. In this space we have repeatedly called for his ousting as mayor.

But not like this. Not through an illness that we wouldn’t wish on anyone.

There’s no denying that Ford has encountered more than his share of political trouble — usually as a result of his own doing. His over-the-top antics have attracted worldwide attention, and laughter.

Just a fraction of this behaviour would have been enough to shatter pretty much any other public career. But, for good or ill, Ford has consistently displayed a remarkable tenacity in the face of adversity.

He’s a fighter. He hangs in. And here’s hoping he’ll keep fighting to triumph over this illness and return to health. His kids deserve to keep their father; his siblings shouldn’t be deprived of their brother, nor his mother robbed of her son. As for politics, we’ll discuss that some other time. Today is about wishing Rob Ford a full and fast recovery.

We offer our heartfelt sympathy to the mayor and his family at this troubled time