It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Thomas Peter Elliott Sprague (Elliott), 41, on Saturday, December 7, wrapped in the love of his young family. A beloved husband, father, brother, son, and friend, Elliott’s memory will be cherished by those who survive him: his wife Danielle; his children Archer and Maizy; his mother Dwaina; his sisters Tyla (Kevin), Bianca, and Molly (Fraser); his niece Graydon and nephew Benjamin; and innumerable friends and colleagues. Elliott was predeceased by his father, Thomas Sprague.
Born in Vancouver at St. Paul’s Hospital on August 15, 1983, to Thomas and Dwaina Sprague, Elliott spent his childhood in BC before moving to Edmonton, Alberta to attend the University of Alberta. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science with Honours, Elliott attended medical school and went on to pursue a career as a Doctor of Internal Medicine. Considered “an internist’s internist,” Elliott was as passionate about his work as he was accomplished; he quickly established himself as a highly respected physician who balanced pragmatism with care and compassion for his patients and their families.
In his spare time, Elliott was a talented and enthusiastic hockey player—something he passed on first to his son Archer and to his daughter Maizy soon after. The first to admit he was no musician himself, Elliott was an avid music fan with an appreciation for a range of genres. Music featured prominently in his household growing up and then with Danielle and their children, as well as at events with friends, which often involved raucous rounds of Name That Tune.
A true family man, Elliott was a loving and devoted husband and father, a loyal and trusted friend, and an admired colleague and medical educator. He will be remembered for his generous and vibrant spirit, his joie de vivre, and his journey as a lifelong learner dedicated to personal growth and self-improvement. Elliott was a champion of the practice of gratitude and mindfulness, striving to be present in every moment. He enjoyed travel, he embraced new experiences, and perhaps most of all, he loved to have fun. Elliott regularly brought family, friends, and loved ones together in celebration, to create memories, and to share joy. He was the life of the party, so often at the centre of joyous occasions filled with laughter.
There are no words to express the sense of loss shared by Elliott’s loved ones as they mourn his too-soon passing. Elliott left a mark on this world and on the lives he touched that will forever endure. To follow Elliott’s journey in his own voice, these two episodes of The Critical Care Commute Podcast are available on Spotify: January 15 and October 22.
For those wishing to pay their respects, a Celebration of Life will be held at Festival Place, 100 Festival Way, Sherwood Park, Alberta on Saturday, January 18. Doors at 4:00pm, program at 4:30pm, reception to follow. For those unable to attend in person, the service will be livestreamed; a link will be provided closer to the date. For questions or more information:
please contact ES.CoLstreaming@gmail.com.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to The Warrior Project: https://www.warriorprojectfund.ca/ or e-transfer to info@warriorprojecfund.ca.
Jody and I wish to send our heartfelt condolences to Dwaina and the extended Sprague family for the loss of Elliott, someone who was extraordinary in every worthwhile way a man can be measured. I will always remember the first time I saw Elliot. We had just returned from a motorcycle trip and were at the Sprague house and I saw a spontaneous greeting between Tom and Elliott, a father and a strapping eighteen year old joyously and unabashedly hugging each other in a way that conveyed love and affection and was clearly just how they were with each other. My immediate thought was this is how every man should be with his children. And of course Elliot passed this love and affection on to his children, and is mourned by all who knew him.
My thoughts are with your family today. Elliot was such a light and such a pleasure to work with. Big virtual hugs to you today.
Dwaina and family..my thoughts are with you today. Such a loss.
Gone way too soon my friend. You are an inspiration to the many people you have met and known. I for one am very grateful to have met you and am one of the inspired. I’m proud to have known you and proud to call you a friend. You will always be remembered and never forgotten. R.I.P. #7
My heartfelt condolences go out to Elliot and his family. For the time I knew Elliot he was full of life, happy go lucky, always with a smile on his face and ultimate teammate in hockey, to which I knew him through. His joy and love of the game, extended to his teammates and his family as he spoke enthusiastic about as he wished to pass along his knowledge of the game to his children. He will be sadly missed in the dressing room and on the bench as his laughter and banter was contagious and always welcoming to players coming out.
Condolences to the Sprague family from my family and the Grande Prairie medical community, where Elliott shared a part of his life. Thank you.
Hello to Dwaina and family. It is difficult to choose words to convey our family’s feelings, upon learning of Elliott’s illness, and now his untimely passing. Our memories of Elliott centre around the young boy in the cabin next door, where we all waterskied, hiked to waterfalls, rode horses into the hills, or rafted down the Similkameen River. It was clear even then that would be a fine and caring young man. Our hearts mourn for the loss of so wonderful a young life, and for the family and friends he leaves behind.