Alex Duong, a stand-up comedian and TV actor who appeared on the CBS drama Blue Bloods, died on Sunday in a Los Angeles hospital. He was 42.
Hilarie Steele, a very close friend of the family who was there when he died, reported that Alex went into septic shock Friday night and passed away at 11 AM Saturday at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica, California, surrounded by family and friends. His wife Christina and daughter Everest were able to see him last night, and he was alert enough to say goodbye to his little girl, whom he has treasured every moment since the day she was born.
Alex was diagnosed with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer, after experiencing headaches behind his eye. After a biopsy was performed, the tumor was labeled as extremely aggressive, and Alex ended up with an eye patch and rounds of treatment. He eventually lost vision in his left eye.
He incurred more than $400,000 in medical bills during his cancer journey. Duong's death was announced via a GoFundMe page set up in February 2025 to help the actor pay for medical expenses as he fought the cancer.
Beyond his television roles, Alex carved out a respected place in the comedy world. In August, comedians like Ronny Chieng, Atusko Okatsuka and others came together to put on "The Alex Duong Has Cancer In His Eye Comedy Benefit Show" at the Largo in Los Angeles. When asked about the comedy community's support during his illness, Duong told the LA Times: "Comedians always have each other's backs when times are shit. We know how hard it is to pine and struggle and scrape by in this lifestyle, just so we can do these jokes and keep improving. It's a beautiful thing to see in this world; it really is."
He is survived by his wife and daughter. Several fellow comedians have publicly mourned his loss, remembering him not just as a talented performer but as someone whose warmth and resilience left a lasting impression on those who knew him.