Image: Facebook

By Mike Vanden Bosch

In memory of Yo Trieu

Chilliwack comedy event to benefit family of local dad who battled cancer with positivity, hope

Aug 27, 2025 | 11:11 AM

CHILLIWACK — Yo Trieu was more than a source of joy, laughter and good advice to friends and colleagues, and he seldom relinquished that attitude during his battle with cancer.

Trieu juggled multiple hats as a husband, girl dad to two young daughters, service rep delivering Van Houtte Coffee products all across the Fraser Valley, and as the founder of the Fraser Valley Comedy Festival.

Sadly, Trieu lost his courageous battle with cancer on August 1, 2025.

To remember his contributions and commemorate his contagious smile and good humour, a charity comedy event to benefit Trieu’s family will be held on Thursday, October 2 at 7 p.m. at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre.

Trieu was born in Jakarta, Indonesia, as a refugee of the Vietnam War. He moved to Canada at 11 months old and grew up and went to school in Chilliwack, building countless friendships and connections along the way. According to his online obituary, Trieu was widely recognized in Chilliwack and “sold almost everyone in town” a TV during his employment at Future Shop, before working as a corporate coffee rep and starting a family with his wife Ashley.

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“He spent all of his free time with his family and took great pride in going on adventures with his kids to all of the parks in Chilliwack. He was full of energy and positivity and always had the most beautiful bright smile,” his obituary stated.

A good friend, Kevin Banner, described Trieu as the godfather of comedy and a dedicated buddy who welcomed him when he moved to the Fraser Valley.

Image: Instagram / Kevin Banner with friend Yo Trieu.

“Truly saddened by the loss of my friend Yo Trieu. If you went to a stand up show in the Chilliwack area in the last 10 years there was a 90% chance Yo put it together,” Banner said. “When my family moved to the Valley, Yo sent me detailed texts on the top restaurants to check out/avoid and the best parks to take my kids to. Whenever there was a community event worth attending, he’d be sure I knew about it. He also made sure my cupboards were stocked with coffee pods. I didn’t pay for coffee for 18 months because of Yo. He’d text me ‘check your front door’ and a shocking amount of nearly expired coffee pods would be there waiting for me.”

Banner said Trieu never exuded any sense of self-pity once he received his cancer diagnosis.

“When he came to our house last year to share his diagnosis, he showed no signs of sadness, no fear, no self pity… just pure, uncut positivity and hope. Throughout his treatment he maintained that positivity and his excitement for the future,” Banner said.

Trieu’s wife wrote a heartfelt tribute to him after he passed.

“There are no words big enough for what he meant to me, to our girls, and to all who loved him. His strength, humour, kindness, and deep love carried us through everything,” Ashley said. “Thank you to everyone who’s supported us, prayed for us, and stood by our family.”

The event on October 2 at the Chilliwack Cultural Show is aptly named “The Yo Show”, and is being billed as a top talent stand-up comedy show to raise funds and honor the legacy, vision and family of Trieu, by bringing fistfuls of Canada’s Top Comics under one roof for an unforgettable night of non-stop laughs. The list of comedians consists of Ivan Decker, Kevin Banner, Katie-Ellen Humphries, Damonde Tschritter, Syd Bosel, Ola Dada, Nic Enright-Morin, Jan Bannister and host Cliff Prang.

All costs for the venue, the comics, and marketing have been covered. Every dollar goes to support the Trieu’s children. Tickets for the the 18-plus event are available here.