Blue Bloods actor and comedian Alex Duong has died after battling a rare form of cancer. He was 42.
TMZ reported on Sunday, March 29, that close family friend Hilarie Steele told the outlet Duong went into septic shock on Friday, March 27.
He died at 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 28, at St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica, California. The actor was surrounded by his family and friends.
The outlet reported that fans can donate to a GoFundMe, created by Hilarie, to support Duong’s wife, Cristina, and 5-year-old daughter, Everest.
“We are overwhelmed with gratitude — because of you, we have already reached the original goal. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,” a message read on the fundraiser’s page on Sunday. “At the same time, with Alex passing, Christina’s situation has become more serious and the financial needs ahead are much greater than we could have anticipated. Alex’s memorial service, Everest ‘s education needs, ongoing care, daily support, and what lies ahead for his family mean we must continue raising funds beyond this initial goal.
The statement continued, “If you’ve already given, thank you — truly. If you’re able to share or contribute again, it would mean everything right now. Please keep Alex and his family in your prayers. Your support is carrying them through the hardest time of their lives. We will update you with respect to details of his ‘Celebration of Life.’”
Doung was diagnosed with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer affecting soft tissue in 2025, according to the Los Angeles Times. The outlet reported that Duong had a malignant mass blocking blood flow to his optic nerve.
Duong, according to the outlet, felt the tumor shrinking and the size of his eye had receded, but he still had monocular vision. He noted that he sees “black feathers” in his left field of vision. The outlet claimed that Duong owed more than $400,000 in medical costs.
Amid his battle, Doung shared that he hated being told he is strong. “I don’t want to be strong!” he told the outlet in 2025. “I just want to go tell my d*** jokes, make people laugh and hang out with my family.”
The outlet noted that Duong considers his family to be performers who have also reached out amid his health battle.
“Comedians always have each other’s backs when times are s***,” he said. “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.”
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