Jim Whelan died from heart attack months before retirement

ATLANTIC CITY (WPVI) -- People in Atlantic City, New Jersey and beyond are remembering the former mayor of the casino town, Jim Whelan.

The New Jersey state senator died suddenly Tuesday after suffering a heart attack.

Whelan served three terms as mayor of Atlantic City and worked to revitalize the struggling town.

He won a state assembly seat in 2005 before being elected to the state senate two years later.

He was planning to retire this winter.

"I feel so bad. He was so excited about retiring in January and enjoying the retirement. He didn't get to enjoy it. He was like a mentor, a big brother to me," Atlantic City Mayor Don Guardian said.

Whelan passed away at the age of 68.

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