Alex duong passes away at 42

Comedian Alex Doung passed away after a prolonged battle with cancer.

On March 28, Alex Doung died at the age of 42 from a rare form of cancer. His friend Hilarie Steele confirmed the news in a post on GoFundMe.

Steele wrote in a post on the crowdfunding website, “With the heaviest hearts, we share that our dear Alex passed away peacefully this morning, surrounded by love and dear friends. He was comfortable and thankfully out of pain”.

Steele also shared that despite the progression of Duong’s illness, he was able to say goodbye to his 5-year-old daughter, Everest, whom he shared with wife Christina before his death, noting that he “treasured” his little girl “every moment since the day she was born.”

“We are devastated,” the message continued, “but so grateful for the support, prayers and generosity you have all shown during this unimaginable time.”

Duong was diagnosed with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer that affects soft tissue, in 2025, according to a Los Angeles Times profile published in April, which eventually led him to lose vision in his left eye.

Before his diagnosis, Duong, who worked as a Door Guy at The Comedy Store, was set to perform across 41 states throughout 2025, with accompaniment by Daily Show correspondent Ronny Chieng at certain stops, per the outlet. In fact, he highlighted his comedy community as a pillar of support as he navigated his disease.

“Comedians always have each other’s backs when times are s–t,” he told the Los Angeles Times. “We know how hard it is to pine and struggle and scrape by in this lifestyle, so that we can do these jokes and keep improving. It’s a beautiful thing to see in this world; it really is.”