Dr. Edward R O'Brien

Surrounded by his loving family, Dr. Edward Redmond Michael O’Brien passed away peacefully at the Ottawa General Hospital on Jan. 29, 2026, at the age of 65, following a year-long journey with prostate cancer.

Ed shared 40 joyful years of marriage with his beloved wife, Michelle Gagnon (Mimi). Their partnership was one of laughter, loyalty and unwavering love and gratitude. Together, they built a family rooted in warmth and kindness, a legacy that will live on for generations. Ed was the proud and adored father of Paul (Gabrielle Dupuis), Claire and Redmond (Shakira Essoa); and grandfather of Gloria and Michelle (Mimi). Each of them meant the world to him. In his final months, Ed cherished spending time with his children and grandchildren, from walks with little Mimi in the Glebe, to boat rides with Gloria and his kids at the cottage. He will be deeply missed by his siblings, parents-in-law, siblings-in-law, nieces and nephews and many dear friends, who treasured his generosity, humour and companionship.

Born in Ottawa on June 3, 1960, Ed was the dear son of Redmond and Margaret (Foran) O’Brien; and youngest brother to Archbishop Brendan O’Brien, Elaine Marlin (Randal), Michael (Marie), Gregory (Beth), Rosemary and Nora. His devoted parents and siblings were his anchor, providing love, guidance, humour and faith throughout his life. From an early age, Ed excelled as both a student and an athlete, emerging as a standout player in hockey and football.

He was widely admired for his intellectual curiosity, generosity as a mentor, tireless work ethic and unwavering commitment to patients and education.

Ed was a distinguished cardiologist, clinician-scientist and educator, devoted to advancing cardiovascular medicine and patient care. A graduate of the University of Ottawa faculty of medicine (1985), he completed specialty training in internal medicine and cardiology, followed by advanced vascular research at the University of Washington in Seattle. He spent over two decades at the Ottawa Heart Institute as an interventional cardiologist, professor and director of the vascular biology laboratory, contributing to major advances in coronary interventions and stent safety. He later served as chief of cardiology at the Libin Cardiovascular Institute of Alberta in Calgary. Through his internationally recognized research, Ed advanced understanding of atherosclerosis and vascular inflammation. This included his pioneering work on heat shock protein 27 and the establishment of his company, Pemi31 Therapeutics Inc., with his wife, Michelle. He was widely admired for his intellectual curiosity, generosity as a mentor, tireless work ethic, and unwavering commitment to patients and education, most recently in his work at Capital Cardiology in Ottawa.

Ed had a heart of gold and lived life to the fullest, ensuring his family shared a joyful and fun life together. Alongside Michelle, he encouraged and supported his children to pursue higher education, contribute their talents to improving the world around them and caring for their loved ones. It was a true passion for Ed to create spaces to spend quality time with family and friends, especially at his favourite place in the world — the cottage. He loved to host, bringing people together over good food and wine in a relaxed atmosphere, always set to his favourite jazz playlists. Ed also had an innate ability to fix just about anything. He was a self-taught mechanic, plumber, carpenter and more. No problem ever seemed too big or too small to solve. Ed was a remarkable person in so many ways and will be dearly missed.

The family would like to thank Ed’s exceptional nurses and support staff at the Ottawa General Hospital, and the medical oncology, urology, palliative and family physicians involved along the way. The family is extremely grateful for their excellent care, personal touch and compassion.