Paying Tribute to Tony Chen

It is with a heavy heart that we share of Tony's passing on December 18th. Tony was only 31 when he was diagnosed with stage 4 non-small cell lung cancer this past August. As someone who wasn't a smoker and had no family history, we were all shocked to learn this. It all started with a cough that wouldn't go away, and eventually moved to severe lower back & leg pain. We thought it was sciatica but it ended up being the cancer that spread into his bones. Over the next few months he was in the hospital recovering from spinal surgery (caused by the cancer), bone pain, trouble breathing, and even spent his 32nd birthday there. We tried everything we could & held on to hope until the very last minute, but unfortunately the cancer was too aggressive and didn't respond to the treatments. Tony was such a fighter and we're so proud of him. He always tried to put a smile on everyone's faces despite everything he was going through.

As we reflect on this time, we also remember all the good times we had. Tony was such a compassionate, caring, hardworking, & funny person. He loved to cook, talk about machine learning, cuddle his 2 dogs, work out, and play tennis. He built a strong community around him & he loved his wife, family, friends, and 2 dogs so deeply. No matter what, he always made sure to look after everyone else. Whenever anyone was around him, they felt his love and you couldn't help but have a great time with him.

As we navigate this difficult time, we are asking to help raise funds to help lay Tony to rest. This will help cover the cost of the funeral service & cremation. His funeral will be held on January 10th, 2025 in Colma.