The front entrance to the currently evacuated Hadgraft Wilson Place.

(JESSE TOMAS / iNFOnews.ca)

An evacuated resident of a supportive housing complex in downtown Kelowna passed away earlier this week.

Jim Hadgraft, a tenant in Hadgraft Wilson Place, broke his leg on Tuesday, and passed away in his sleep while awaiting surgery, according to Pathways Abilities Society executive director Charisse Daley.

Hadgraft's family has been a generous financial contributor to the non-profit that operated the building with the family's name on it.

“Jim was a pretty amazing guy, very generous and kind. He’s going to be missed terribly,” Daley said.

Hadgraft Wilson Place is subsidized housing geared towards those with fixed income and disabilities. The building was evacuated on April 1 after the excavation of UBC Okanagan’s construction site made the building unsafe because of settling issues that grew worse over months.

READ MORE: UBCO not releasing engineering reports for downtown excavation that caused evacuation

Daley said they aren’t sure exactly how Hadgraft broke his leg.

“I did see Jim in the hospital on the day and he wasn’t clear on exactly what happened, he was a little bit confused. All we know is that he fell and the break was just terrible. It required a full leg cast and was going to require surgery and they weren’t sure if he was going to be able to walk again,” she said.

Tenants of the building, including Hadgraft, have been living in hotels since the evacuation order and are still paying rent while unsure of their future.

“The circumstance under which we fell, we do believe he was at the hotel, but we don’t know,” she said.

READ MORE: Work on UBCO highrise resumes in downtown Kelowna as evacuated residents face unsure future

Daley said the evacuation had been hard on him.

“Jim was definitely out of sorts. He was evacuated from the building he lived in. We tried our best to put in additional support to make sure he was OK, but it was very hard on him. He lived in the building for just under nine months and all of a sudden had to move,” she said.

“Jim’s going to be missed by a lot of people in the community and we’re absolutely devastated that this happened."

UBCO didn't make anyone available for an interview to comment on Hadgraft's death but did send an emailed statement from principal and deputy vice-chancellor Lesley Cormack.

Cormack said in the written statement that she was saddened by Hadgraft's passing.

"As a family namesake and a centre of the community at Hadgraft Wilson Place, we know Jim will be remembered for the kindness and care that he showed to everyone around him," she said. "I can only imagine how difficult this is for his family, friends, and the Pathways Abilities Society community. I have offered my condolences and those of UBC Okanagan on behalf of students, faculty and staff to his family at this challenging time."

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