Canadian Olympic figure skater Joannie Rochette's mother dies in Vancouver

Vanoc has announced that the mother of Canadian figure skater Joannie Rochette died this morning at Vancouver General Hospital.  

Thérí¨se Rochette, 55, passed away of an apparent heart attack before she could see her daughter compete in the 2010 Games. A Montreal native, Joannie Rochette is a six-time Canadian champion and was a  silver medallist at the 2009 World Championships.

Vanoc offered its deepest condolences to Rochette's family and asked that the media respect their privacy.

Rochette, 24,  still  plans to compete in the women's figure skating competition, which begins on Tuesday (February 23).