It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Sanjay Achal on July 31st, 2021 after an ongoing battle with mental illness. He was 28 years old, several days short of his 29th birthday.
Sanjay completed a first class honours BSc in Neuroscience and was currently fulfilling his dream working on a medical degree at the University of Calgary. He was an incredibly talented musician, well known for his passion for the guitar. Sanjay enjoyed exploring the outdoors with his family and his many friends.
Sanjay will be deeply missed by all who knew him – his infectious smile, quick wit, and endlessly generous spirit.
He is survived by his parents Kalpana and Stephen (Penny); his siblings Roshan (Jordan), Siena, and Adele; and in the hearts of innumerable family and friends.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday August 8th, 2021 at 1PM MDT. To be cautious of Covid-19 safety, we are limiting in-person attendance. A virtual stream is available for those who still wish to attend remotely:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89817347556
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations to the Calgary Distress Centre be made in Sanjay’s name. https://www.distresscentre.com/donate/
48 Comments
I went to high school with Sanjay. He had the most incredible smile and his aura lit up the whole room. He was kind and passionate person. Always made you laugh when you needed it, and made you feel like you were his beast friend. It did not matter who you were. Sanjay, I hope you have found peace. You are loved, and will always be remembered.
Our hearts ache with you. You are in our thoughts.
Aatma Ko Sadgati Prapt Ho (May Soul attain Moksha)….Om Shanti.
We were lucky enough to meet your beautiful son on a few occasions including at Marsh and Keelin’s wedding a few years ago. We will hold those times so close to our hearts. What a beautiful, talented young man. We are so incredibly sorry and heartbroken for all of you and for everyone that called Sanjay a friend. We must do more to help those battling mental illness. Please know that we will continue to donate, advocate and fund raise in the hope that someday, more young people can find the help that they need.
You will never be forgotten. Near and far you were loved. ?
Sanjay, you had an infectious personality, your jokes even reached legendary status “Geodude”. I remember the last time I saw you at school, you looked me directly in the eyes and sincerely asked me how I was doing. I walked away thinking about how kind you were. I am deeply saddened that patients for the next forty years are going to miss out on this genuine kindness and care from you. You will be missed on a multitude of levels. Take care my friend and I will be praying for your family.
Love your friend and colleague,
David
I had the pleasure of meeting Sanjay at the University of Calgary. He was a great friend of my husband (Marshal) and we developed a wonderful friendship over time. He was guaranteed to make you laugh! He was always up for grabbing tea at Tim Horton’s and is a bright spot from my time at U of C. As a cat lover, Sanjay always shared the best cat memes along with the best photos of Noodles.
Achal Family- I wish you peace and comfort during this time. I’m so very sorry for your loss. Sanjay will be missed by many near and far.
Keelin & Marshal Wolff
May Sanjay’s smile shine every night through the brightest star in the sky.
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your loved ones.
My condolences.
RIP Sanjay. Never stop smiling.
I never had the privilege of meeting Sanjay during my time in Calgary. He sounds like he was a wonderful human being. My thoughts are with his family during this time of immense loss.
Dear Sanjay – I miss you so much already. Thank you for being so kind, so fun, and so special – you will be forever in my heart. I owe you a dance, so I am grateful to know that we will see each other again one day. Promise.
Love you, Nephew ~ Kaki Karen xo
So truly sorry for your loss. Sanjay was an honor to be friends with, he proved at an early age that wit, grit and intelligence could be packaged with style. His influence lives on through us all. The kindest soul, that I hope is now at peace.
Rest in eternal peace my friend
My heart goes out to you and your family. Deepest deepest condolences
We are deeply sorry to hear of this sad news. May his soul Rest In Peace. Our prayers for Sanjay and his Family.
With Love
Navindra , Kanta and Sandhya
Sleep easy now cuz, you are loved & missed beyond measure. ? RIP Sanjay
To my dear cousin Stephen & all our Canada family, our hearts break for you, our love surrounds you. Our deepest condolences.
Our love always
Anna & Nigel
The worse thing is the lose of a child. The pain never goes away. My heart goes out to your family. You will always ask yourself what could I have done differently. Always share your happy stories. HUGZZ
Sanjay was clearly a brilliant and promising young man with many talents. How terrible that his inner suffering and desolation emerged during this pandemic. Disorientation and loneliness strike the young so hard. We are so deeply sorry.
Unfortunately we never had the chance to meet him and knew him only from the descriptions of our good friends, his proud father Stephen, and Penny. But for this tragedy, Sanjay, like his Dad, should have gone on to do much good for the world in his medical career. We struggle also to imagine how deeply this sudden and painful loss has affected them and send our heartfelt condolences to them and all Sanjay’s loved ones.
You carry Sanjay’s light within you all , he is with you, loving and loved.
Our deepest sympathy for your loss.
Dearest Sanjay,
You will forever live on in the hearts and minds of your friends who knew you in medical school. We miss you!
My deepest condolences to Mr. Stephen Achal and all of Sanjay’s family members and close friends. I join you in grieving the loss of a sweet soul.
Sachin
Ps. 23
My condolences to the parents, siblings & families.
One of the funniest, most inviting people I’ve ever met. A man who created so many memories for so many people.
I never got to meet my cousin Sanjay but always heard great stories from Nana and Nani. Someone so bright and young gone too soon!! Passing my deepest condolences from New Zealand to mama and Mami and the family.
My deepest sympathy. Words escape me. My thoughts have been with you and your entire family since I heard of the loss.
Sending our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of Sanjay.
To Sanjay’s Family and Friends
I was deeply saddened this morning to hear of Sanjay’s passing. Although we were never exceptionally close in junior high or high school, I always admired Sanjay‘s humour, his intelligence, and his loyalty to those around him. He always took the time to share a laugh and a smile with those around him – a trait that far too few share these days.
I am very sorry for your loss.
Michael Smith
Yes, we will forever miss Sanjay”s physical presence. We will also miss the only medical Doctor in our family. But today we will celebrate your 28 years of life with family and friends, near and far. Rest in heavenly peace my nephew. Sending our love and prayers, Mahen Nair&family, Birch Bay, U.S.A.
Very sorry for your loss and Sanjay’s memory will always be a treasure for me.
Sanjay was a ball of light, vibrant, silly, clever and radiant. Some of my most fun memories have him involved. His light was extinguished too soon. He was so loved, and will be missed so very much.
Offering deepest condolences for your loss, its so heartbreaking. I didn’t know that Sanjay was suffering so much, the pain must have been unbearable. RIP Sanjay.
I am deeply saddened. My heart and the hearts of all of those in Student Advising and Wellness mourn the loss of your courageous son, brother and friend. His memory is woven into our lives. Our lives have been blessed in knowing Sanjay. With love and precious light.
I met Sanjay 2 years ago at the beginning of Med School. He was always so outgoing and quick with a joke, I could always count on him to lift our spirits whenever he was around.
My heart is broken, hearing about the loss of my close friend Sanjay Achal.
Sanjay was a beautiful human being with a larger than life personality, an infectious smile, humour and laugh, who was able to touch the lives of everyone he met.
He truly lived a life that couldn’t be condensed into words. Never again will I meet someone who impacted me in such a short period of time like Sanjay did, and for that I am forever thankful that I was blessed to have Sanjay be a part of my life.
I cannot fathom life without Sanjay, but I am confident that he will live on in many ways, by his family and those closest to him. His passion for skateboarding and music is something of his that I held very close, and he will forever live on in those parts of my life.
Knowing the ongoing battle Sanjay had with mental illness, I can only be happy for him, knowing that he no longer has to be in pain, and that his mind is finally at ease.
Sanjay, I am heartbroken that you are no longer with us, but I know that you will continue to touch my life and those closest to you. I know that there is a higher power out there looking over for you. You were too beautiful of a human being to not have someone or something watching over you during your eternal peace.
I will love you forever Sanjay.
-Your friend Mark or “Little Fitz”
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To Sanjay, always the best dressed, kindest, smartest, and very musically talented. You are someone that when we were together, we always felt special, always a bright light. We will continue to always think about you and look for your bright light in the sky. Thinking of your family and our friends, sending our love. Nicole & Will
Frostbite
My sincere condolences to the Achal family.
Sanjay was one of my favorite people…so charismatic, funny and bright. He could always make me laugh, I will miss him very much.
God bless and goodnight Sanjay. Rest in eternal peace knowing that you are loved and have a special place in our hearts always. Love Jane and cousins Tyler, Garrick and Reeva xxxx
We are so very sorry for the loss of sanjay, he was such a special gift to all that knew him, we send our love, light and strength to you all. We are so proud of each and every one of you and will be holding you all in our thoughts. Rest in peace Sanjay you are going to be so missed, we love you x
Thank you Sanjay for touching all our lives in such beautiful ways. 🌷Your amazing smile and friendly nature has always shone through.⭐️ Thank you for being a wonderful gift to so many family members and all your friends. 🌹 You are loved deeply and always will be. ❤️ Rest now. 💝 We will all connect again with great happiness. With our deepest love and support to you and all those who you have touched 💐❤️🌻💗🌺💜💐
There can be no pain more terrible and deep than that of losing a Son. Our heart, soul and prayers go out to Kalpana and Steve. Your`re thought about with Pride, Son with each mention of your name death cannon change a single thing. The Love will still remain.
Sanjay was a kind, brilliant, funny and much loved young man. I will always look back fondly at the good times and better conversations we had in medical school. This world is a better place for his being here.
He was an amazing human being. Rare in his kindness and compassion. May your soul find peace.
Deepest condolences to his wonderful family and his mom.
Sanjay was a funny and kind man. He will be sorely missed.
Stephen, I’m wordless – seeing your message on my LinkedIn wall hit me – I’m sorry and will be sending my thoughts – prayers to you and your family.
My heart is heavy over your tragic loss Kalpana and Steve, and of course, the loss to your families too.
Please accept my heartfelt sympathy on the passing of Sanjay. From the comments I have read, he was a wonderful person with much to give. The world is now diminished.
I had the pleasure and honour of getting to know Sanjay for probably a shorter period of time than most who have commented here. In that short time however, Sanjay helped myself and many others with just his glowing presence and personality every time he walked into a room. Sanjay was so bright and cheerful and personal; it was easy for anyone to make friends with him.
The Sanjay I knew had this “happy go lucky” and “glass half full” mentality on life. He had a great sense of humour and a laugh and smile that could make everyone light up a smile as well.
My heart and thoughts and prayers go out to Sanjay’s family and friends during this difficult time! To his family and friends, please know Sanjay helped so many of the lives around him including mine. I am great full to have met and known Sanjay.
theres not a day where i dont miss you. i really looked up to you even though we were never as close as I wanted, you were my big brother. choco milk rules
i really wish i couldve hugged you one last time. i love you, i know that you’re happy. choco milk rocks