Former Bristol city council member and three-term mayor Art Ward passed suddenly Wednesday evening. He was 75 years old.

His death was announced by his daughter, Kim Ward Holley, on Facebook.

“While I wish there was a better way to notify all of you, it is with great sadness that I let you know that my dad, Art, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday evening,” she writes. The cause of death was not provided.

Among those commenting were current Mayor Jeffrey Caggiano who posted, “Art was Bristol All Heart. Was so saddened to hear the news and we all mourn with and for you today. God Bless you and the entire Ward family.”

He also posted his condolences on the Mayor’s Office Bristol CT Facebook page.

Mayor Ward represented the 1st District in the city for 7 terms before being elected mayor in 2007. He chose not to run in 2013. For most of his political life, he was a member of the Democratic Party, but in 2021 he joined the Republican Party.

He gained notoriety for an incident in December of 2010 when he choked on a piece of steak and was put into a medically induced coma and remained hospitalized for 16 days before recovering. His story is among those included in Bristol Health’s 100 years video series.

In 2016, U.S. House Representative John Larson named Ward to the State Veterans Council. Ward served in the armed forces during the war in Vietnam and was active with the local American Legion Post 2.

In her Facebook post, his daughter said that she will share arrangements once they are complete.