Shuaib Ally, a dedicated Gqeberha hockey player, died just hours after playing on Saturday morning, after suffering a fatal heart attack in the presence of his family. He was 40.

Ally had grown up in Aspen Heights in the northern areas, where he fell in love with hockey and stayed with the sport into adulthood. He was a member of Crusaders Hockey Club and worked as an HR manager. He was married to Rayghaana for 19 years, and the couple had three sons, two of whom were following in his footsteps on the hockey field.

His sister, Sumayyah, said the family was still in shock and disbelief at his sudden death, saying they never expected this to happen. She said he had mentioned that he was not feeling well that morning, but the family could not have imagined how quickly the day would turn.

His death has left a wide circle of family, teammates and colleagues grieving a man who was known for staying close to the sport he loved. Friends, colleagues and fellow sportsmen remembered his infectious laugh, broad smile and generosity, while Sumayyah described him as patient, a man of integrity and “the epitome of a true gentleman.”

She said their marriage was one of the exceptions and that their love outgrew this world. “Over and over they loved each other. They were woven together,” she said, adding that theirs was the kind of love most people pray for. The loss is especially heavy because the couple built a life together over nearly two decades and raised three sons as Ally continued to play and watch hockey from the sidelines. For the family, the unanswered question now is how to carry that loss forward while keeping alive the best of what he left behind.

“It is strange — only when tragedy like this strikes do you gain wisdom and perspective,” Sumayyah said, adding that those who have lost someone should take something they admire about that person and make it part of their own lives, because grief never fully goes away.