TORONTO - Rob Ford's bid for re-election came to an abrupt end Friday as the mayor withdrew his name off the ballot following the discovery of a "fair sized" tumour in his abdomen.
A city hall official confirmed to a crush of reporters and photographers that the mayor had submitted his request just ahead of an official deadline to do so.
Ford, 45, whose admissions of crack-cocaine use, binge drinking and profanities make him a household name across much of North America, was admitted to hospital on Wednesday after complaining for months of abdominal pain.
After doctors discovered a tumour in his lower abdomen, they transferred him to a second downtown hospital on Thursday, where he underwent a biopsy on the growth and was slated to undergo further testing Friday.
Dr. Zane Cohen, an internationally recognized colorectal surgeon at Mount Sinai Hospital, said it would be about a week before it was known whether the tumour was cancerous.
Discovery of the tumour came just over two months after Ford returned to office from a stint in rehab that followed a scandal-plagued year in which he was forced to admit to using crack cocaine in a "drunken stupor," was caught on video and audio recordings in profanity-laced rants, and became the target of an ongoing police investigation.
He narrowly survived a legal challenge that would have forced him out of office for breaching conflict-of-interest rules, and saw council strip him of most of his powers.
His litany of woes, gaffes and outrageous conduct made him an international celebrity and word of his illness garnered coverage around the globe.
Still, the often larger than life mayor — elected in 2010 on the strength of his cri-de-coeur of "it's time to stop the gravy train" — continued to campaign for re-election even as he trailed in polls for the Oct. 27 vote but nonetheless remained a viable candidate.
Ultimately, however, faced with the prospect of a cancer diagnosis and a long treatment regimen, Ford opted to step aside, leaving his so-called Ford Nation of die-hard followers to cast about for a new candidate.
Social media erupted at the news, sparking gleeful reaction along with expressions of regret.
"Man I actually feel so bad for Rob Ford," one person tweeted.
"I was really looking forward to watching Rob Ford be defeated by a democratic vote," another tweeted. "Sadly, our city will now be deprived of that moment."
