Daniel James Hicks – commonly known as Sailor Dan to Saskatoon residents – has died.
He was 65.
Hicks had been on remand at Saskatoon Correctional Centre and died at St. Paul’s Hospital around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday, Ministry of Justice spokesperson Drew Wilby said in an email.
Foul play is not suspected nor is an overdose of any kind, Wilby said.
Hicks had been scheduled to appear in Saskatoon Provincial Court on Friday on theft and breach charges.
Hicks was well known in the city for selling drawings of ships.
Hicks was born and raised in Saskatoon. In a 2014 interview with CTV News, Hicks said he was 14-years-old when his father enrolled him in the Royal Canadian Sea Cadets and he went on to join the naval reserves. At one time he was stationed off the Vancouver coast.
A few years later, he worked in a northern Manitoba mine. Then he tried his hand at being an airplane mechanic. Eventually he returned to Saskatoon.
"It's the love of my life. It's the ground under my feet that I'll cherish for the rest of my life," he said.
