Kelowna realtor dies biking in Penticton at Three Blind Mice
A prominent Kelowna realtor died this past weekend after apparently suffering a heart attack while mountain biking near Penticton, according to his wife.
Mark West, the 58-year-old founder and managing broker of Epic Real Estate, was riding with a group of cyclists on the Three Blind Mice trail network around 11 a.m. Saturday when he fell off his bike and became unresponsive, according to an RCMP press release that didn’t actually name the victim.
The incident occurred about one kilometre from Riddle Road on the northeast corner of Penticton, and drew a response from police, search and rescue, firefighters and paramedics.
Police say criminality is not suspected and the BC Coroners Service is also investigating.
In a social media posting early Sunday, indie-pop singer Leah West identified the victim as her husband of 18 years, Mark, and described herself as “beyond devastated.”
“A police officer came to my door last night to tell me he had passed away while mountain biking in Penticton. I still don’t have cause of death, but they think it may have been a heart attack,” she wrote.
“I haven’t been able to see him yet. I’m weeping non-stop. My son will grow up without his father. This is the saddest day of my life. God, please help me get through this.”
Epic Real Estate’s most notable current project is the twin-high-rise ONE Water Street in Kelowna. The company has also marketed a variety of SOLE-branded buildings around the city.
West worked in real estate for more than 30 years, and was involved in deals worth in excess of $1.2 billion, according to Epic’s website.