TORONTO (AP) – Family says former Toronto mayor Rob Ford has died at 46 after fighting cancer.

Ford gained international notoriety in 2013 when, after months of denials, he acknowledged he had smoked crack cocaine in one of his “drunken stupors,” but then refused to resign.

He was diagnosed with pleomorphic liposarcoma in 2014.

Following an aggressive round of treatment, Ford underwent surgery to remove the tumor last May. In October, doctors discovered two cancerous growths on his bladder. He has been in the hospital since late February.

Ford was forced out of his mayoral re-election bid in 2014 when doctors discovered his rare cancer. He ran successfully for council instead.Keep checking NBC4i.com for real-time updates on this story. To get alerts for breaking news, grab the free NBC4 News App for iPhone or Android. You can also sign up for email alerts.What others are clicking on: