Support for the family of Alexander Tran

Alexander Tran passed away unexpectedly June 24, 2024 at the mere age of 17 while visiting family in Vietnam.

Alex will be laid to rest in Nha Trang, Vietnam. His mother will remain in Vietnam for an undetermined amount of time.

We are hoping to raise money to support the family with unplanned funeral expenses, travel expenses, and to offset the financial strain of losing a loved one. We are very grateful for any donations.

Thank you for your generosity and compassion during this difficult time. Alex will be greatly missed by all of those that knew and loved him. He touched many lives and will continue to shine in our memories.

Below is a post shared by Olivia Ho, Alex’s sister. I want to share it here to help raise awareness and provide a better understanding.

”Alex’s passing has garnered so much attention in the community that we would like to take this chance to shine some light on his rare medical diagnosis:

Our baby brother Alexander Tran was born October 17, 2006. He spent the first month of his life at the hospital with our mom by his side every single day. Later on when we would look back, this particular event foreshadowed the next 17 years of countless doctor appointments and extended stays at hospitals.

Alex had Prader-Willi Syndrome. Prader-Willi Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that is caused by an error in the chromosome 15 region which disrupts the normal functions of a portion of the brain called the hypothalamus. The hypothalamus happens to control the release of hormones that play a crucial role in regulating hunger and satiety.

Generally, people who were diagnosed with this condition have an insatiable hunger. They never feel full and there is nothing in their body to tell them they are not hungry. Eating is a dire need for them and in extreme cases, they could eat themselves to death. And there is currently no cure.

Imagine you couldn't breathe, what would you do to get air? This is the level of desperation someone with Prader-Willi Syndrome has to eat, to try to satisfy a hunger that could never be satisfied.

Despite being in a constant state of hunger, Alex was kind to everyone and has touched more lives in his 17 years of living than most of us has in our entire adult life.

The doctors and nurses he became acquainted with over the years mourn his loss greatly. Dr. Natalie Shilo from CHOP in particular, remembers him as "deceptively quiet and shy" and "quietly brilliant". He had a signature mischievous and mysterious smirk that many of us remember him by.

Alex was so kind and gentle that his defense mechanism was to smile and walk away. To the people who saw past his exterior, thank you for reciprocating kindness. And to those who tried to bully him, hopefully reading all of this gave you a different perspective on people's internal battles.

Alex has been fighting his own body for almost 18 years. He put up a good fight, but he was tired. Rest easy, Alex. You can go be a kid now.“