Hello friends and family,

With deep sadness and heavy hearts, we share the passing of our beloved brother, TOUA CHANG, who took his last breath on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at 2:54 PM. He suffered from a Cardiac Arrest.

Toua was at a friend’s gathering, enjoying BBQ and good company, when he suddenly collapsed. His friend noticed he wasn’t breathing and immediately began CPR while calling for an ambulance. First responders continued resuscitation efforts for over 30 minutes. My father arrived on-site during this time. After about 40 minutes, Toua briefly regained a pulse and was transported to Marshfield Medical Hospital ER.

Upon arrival, his heart stopped again. The doctors and nurses fought hard to bring him back, using the AED multiple times and administering rounds of epinephrine and amiodarone. After nearly an hour and a half of aggressive efforts, he was pronounced deceased at 2:54 PM.

My mother, father, sister (Kangzoua), brother (Yeng), cousin (Vang) and Lee (Toua's close friend) were all present in the ER. We were devastated. We cried out, trembling in disbelief, and were taken into the trauma code room to see his body. His fingertips and earlobes had turned a deep purple. My father kept tucking the hospital blanket tightly around Toua’s limbs and covering his body, trying to warm him up—hoping that his spirit might return.

We stayed by his side until 8 PM. That was the last time we saw him before he was moved to the morgue. Our precious brother was gone.

Toua was our eldest sibling and a central force in our lives. He was brilliant, strong-willed, and deeply compassionate. He had high expectations, a sharp mind, and a soft heart. He protected us, challenged us, and inspired us.

He survived open-heart surgery just a few years ago and faced ongoing kidney failure with strength and courage, undergoing regular dialysis. Though these challenges made him vulnerable, he never gave up. He pushed himself to keep going.

Recently, Toua had enrolled full-time in the IT program at Northcentral Technical College, despite his fears. He succeeded beautifully, earning high honors every semester. He dreamed of finishing school, getting a good-paying job, buying his dream car, and owning his first home. He even sent us pictures of the cars and houses he hoped to have someday.

Toua was also a gifted artist—drawing anime characters, robots, and designing with precision. He built computers from scratch, loved high-end technology, enjoyed amazing food, and had a heart big enough to feed the whole family. He was spontaneous, generous, funny, and brilliant. He had only two girlfriends in his lifetime and remained deeply loyal.

Now, walking into his room brings us to tears. Every personal item, every drawing, every gadget carries a memory. His presence lingers in everything.

This loss is unimaginable for us.

We are creating this GoFundMe to help support Toua’s funeral and burial services, and to honor him with a proper celebration of his life and rebirth. Any donations are appreciated from the depths of our hearts, and will go directly toward the cost of giving Toua the farewell he deserves.

Please love yourself and cherish your family. Life can change in a moment. Spend time with your loved ones while you can.

Thank you for holding our family in your prayers and for supporting us during this incredibly difficult time.

With love and gratitude,

The Chang Family