Paul Myers' “John Candy: A Life in Comedy ”Honors a Canadian Comedic Legend: 'Everyone Still Loves Him' (Exclusive)

"Everyone still loves him, and to this day it’s virtually impossible to find anyone who didn’t," Myers wrote of Candy

Celebrated Canadian journalist Paul Myers is honoring the legacy of John Candy in a new biography of the beloved comedian.

In John Candy: A Life in Comedy, Myers chronicled the life, successes and lasting impact of the Canadian-born star, who died in 1994 at the age of 43. In an exclusive email interview with PEOPLE, Myers opened up about bringing Candy to life on the page and capturing his legacy as a widely-loved comedian.

Related: Steve Martin, Laurie Metcalf and More Remember ‘Sweetheart’ John Candy 30 Years After His Death (Exclusive)

Myers' first book, One Dumb Guy, focused on comedy group The Kids In The Hall, whose generation was inspired by the popular sketch comedy show Second City Television. The show, which first took off in Myers' hometown of Toronto, starred Candy alongside other celebrities like Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Short and Joe Flaherty.

As captivated as Myers was with Second City Television, he was deeply drawn to Candy himself — the first from the show to gain popularity internationally.

"I found Candy’s journey especially compelling because he was such a big star, then died so young," Myers wrote, "but everyone still loves him, and to this day, it’s virtually impossible to find anyone who didn’t."

Related: John Candy: Read PEOPLE’s Cover Story About His Death 30 Years Later — ‘None of Us Believed It Would Happen’

While compiling the extensive research that went into the book, Myers realized how significantly Candy's life had been impacted by Dan Aykroyd, a fellow Canadian actor-comedian. He found that Akroyd was instrumental in getting Candy to audition for SCTV.

They later took a road trip together to Los Angeles, and with Saturday Night Live comedian John Belushi, Aykroyd wrote his friend Candy a part in The Blues Brothers, Myers said.

"Ultimately, at Candy’s funeral, it was Dan’s eulogy that the mourners still talk about to this day," Myers said. "He’s such a constant and recurring character in Candy’s life, that we asked him to write our foreword, and he graciously and eloquently stepped up 'for Johnny' once again. That’s love."

Myers hopes his book imparts to readers that what made Candy so special was his humanity — "subject to the same pressures, stress and anxieties as any regular mortal," while still being a sweet personality that made his audiences laugh. "He wasn’t just a great comedian, he was a gifted actor, who could have won on Oscar someday, had he lived," the author added.

Related: John Candy 'Overdid It' with Jack Nicholson the Night Before Shooting Splash Racquetball Scene, Recalls Producer

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

His book is a tribute to a great figure in Canadian, comedic and film history, Myers said.

"It’s also my very public way of saying thank you to John Candy for what he did for all of us just by existing in the first place," Myers wrote.

John Candy: A Life in Comedy will be available Oct. 7, wherever books are sold.