The Canoe Creek Indian Band is mourning the loss of a hard-working and giving member who was hit by a train Monday morning.

Isadore Felix Kelalst, or Ike as he was known, was with his wife on the holiday Monday at 11:30 a.m. when he passed out on a set of tracks on Lorne Street in downtown Kamloops after drinking.

According to CP Rail, a westbound freight train was unable to stop in time to avoid hitting the 44-year-old Kamloops resident originally from Williams Lake.

The B.C. Coroner Service is still investigating the circumstances of the death.

Sheila Kelalst Booth said her brother was a hard-working man in his field of construction and was fiercely dedicated to his family, which includes his wife, two sons aged 20 and 22, four sisters, an older brother and a large extended family.

Booth said Kelalst's sons are "doing OK" while his wife remains deeply distraught.

He'll also be widely missed in the close-knit community, she said.

"He would always help anyone in need," said Booth.

Kelalst was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed fishing, hunting, mushroom picking and spending time on the lake.

The family is holding a celebration of life and viewing at 3 p.m. on Friday at the Compassionate Care funeral home in Williams Lake. He will then be transported to Canoe Creek for a funeral service on Monday.