Jason Di Tullio, assistant coach and former player for CF Montreal, has died after a battle with cancer. He was 38 years old.
His death was confirmed by the MLS club on Thursday night.
Jason Di Tullio, assistant coach and former player of CF Montreal, has died at the age of 38 after a battle with cancer. The Canadian Press
“It is with great sadness that we mourn the death of our colleague, teammate and friend, who left us too soon. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones,” Montreal president and CEO Gabriel Gervais said in a statement. “Jason was a great player and a great man.
“His energy was always present until his last moments. He himself symbolically compared his battle to a football game. Jason was extremely brave and fought to the end. He will forever be remembered in our minds and hearts. memory of the club as an emblematic player and mentor”.
The club said it will pay tribute to Di Tullio in Saturday’s game against visiting New York City FC.
Di Tullio was diagnosed last year with stage 4 glioblastoma brain cancer, an aggressive form of cancer with an extremely low survival rate and no known cure. He underwent surgeries and radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments.
“Sad news this morning,” Montreal midfielder Samuel Piette said in a social media post. “A brave, positive and passionate man. Thanks for everything coach! Condolences to his family.”
A former Canadian youth international, Di Tullio represented Canada at the 2001 Francophone Games in Ottawa/Hull and the 2003 FIFA U-20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.
He served as an assistant coach with the Canadian U-17, U-20 and U-23 teams, and most recently worked with head coach Mauro Biello at the Men’s Olympic Qualifier in March 2021.
Di Tullio was 18 when he began his professional career with the Montreal Impact in 2002, when the team competed in the United Soccer League. In 81 games, of which 60 as a starter, he played 5,611 minutes, scoring one goal and adding four assists.
He retired as a player in 2007.
Di Tullio was an assistant coach with the club’s first team from 2015 to 2017, returning to that role in 2021. He previously served as head coach of Montreal’s U16, U17 and U23 teams.
The former defender also spent a year as technical director of the Lanaudiere Regional Soccer Association.