Vancouver, B.C. — Andy Le was supposed to be at the Lapu-Lapu Day festival with his family on April 16, soaking in the music, the food, the buzz of community. Instead, the 16-year-old stayed home, hunched over a pile of homework. That decision saved his life. His father, stepmother, and five-year-old sister, Katie, never made it back from the celebration. They were among eight killed when a pickup truck plowed through the crowd in what police call a deliberate act, though not terrorism.
Now, Andy, the sole survivor of his immediate family, is turning grief into generosity. He’s pledged to donate half of a $542,000 GoFundMe campaign—originally set up to secure his future—to other victims and their families. That’s $266,000 he’s giving away, a gesture that’s left this rain-soaked city stunned and humbled.
The attack, during a festival honoring Filipino hero Lapu-Lapu, shook Vancouver’s tight-knit community. The suspect, 30-year-old Kai-Ji Adam Lo, faces eight counts of second-degree murder. Authorities say Lo, who was under mental health care, has a history of psychological issues. The victims ranged from a child barely out of kindergarten to a 65-year-old elder, each life cut short in a blur of chaos. Police are still piecing together why it happened, but for now, the city’s focused on healing.
Andy’s fundraiser exploded online, fueled by strangers and neighbors alike. The money was meant to anchor him—cover living expenses, maybe college, as he moves in with his grandparents in the family’s old house. But Andy, barely old enough to drive, saw others hurting. “I know many families are in pain too,” he said in a statement released through the crowdfunding platform on May 1. His voice, even in print, carries a weight beyond his years.
At a vigil held days after the attack, vendors and festival-goers swapped ideas for supporting survivors. One woman, who’d packed up her stall just 30 minutes before the truck roared in, called the community’s response “like the chieftain himself—fierce, united.” Andy’s decision to share the funds fits that spirit, a kid stepping up when the world’s kicked him down.
The donation will be split among other victims’ families, though details on how are still being worked out. Organizers of the GoFundMe say they’re coordinating with local groups to ensure the money reaches those hit hardest. Vancouver Coastal Health, where the suspect was a patient, issued a statement on April 29 acknowledging the tragedy but offered no specifics on Lo’s treatment. The investigation, police say, is ongoing, with the death toll possibly climbing as some of the 20-plus injured fight for their lives.
Andy’s story isn’t just about loss—it’s about a teenager staring into the abyss and choosing to give. He’s not seeking the spotlight; his statement was brief, almost shy. Yet his act is rippling through Vancouver, a city still raw, still mourning, but maybe a little less alone.