Comedian Giang Còi passed away after months of battling cancer
Today is a sad day for thousands of Vietnamese millennials. Today we bid farewell to an endearing uncle figure, one that most of us never actually met, but one whose comedy shows brought us so much laughter and joy in our childhood. His name was Lê Hồng Giang, though we only knew him under the more casual alias Giang Còi (Skinny Giang).
The comedian’s family announced that he’d passed away late last night due to throat cancer. His condition had been publicly known for months, but news of his departure so soon came as a shock to all of us nonetheless.
Giang Còi was diagnosed with cancer in January
Image credit: VNExpress
Back in January, Giang Còi announced that he’d been diagnosed with stage 3 throat cancer. The news came when he went for a health checkup after experiencing a constant sore throat.
Despite his dire condition, the comedian remained his quippy, smiling self, saying he’d continue to work and contribute until the very end. At the time, doctors estimated that he had two years left.
Alas, it would seem things took a turn for the worse. Late last night, just over 6 months after that initial assessment, Giang Còi’s family announced on his official Facebook fan page that the comedian had passed away at the age of 59.
An iconic comedian of many people’s childhood
He remained upbeat in the last months of his life despite his conditions
Image credit: Lê Hồng Giang
Born in 1962 as Lê Hồng Giang, Giang còi made a name for himself thanks to his appearance in Gặp Nhau Cuối Tuần (Weekend Gathering), a weekly TV show that aired in the early 2000s.
Later in life, he mostly withdrew from the stage and enjoyed a simple life at a farm outside Hanoi’s center, while still working as a scriptwriter for several projects.
Farewell to one of Vietnam’s most iconic public figure
News of Giang Còi’s passing gave us all a somber feeling. He represented a piece of our childhood, one that, like so many other endearing memories, we can now only look back with fondness.
Our condolences go to his family for their loss. At the same time, let’s take comfort in the fact that he lived a full life and brought positivity to so many people.
For more stories, check out:
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Cover image adapted from VNExpress