Quan Le

Born in Vietnam, his family came to Canada as refugees when he was just two years old.  They eventually settled in Calgary which was where he spent the rest of his life.  Quan discovered the trombone in junior high and displayed a natural talent in all things musical.  He went on to complete a Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education at the University of Calgary.  Quan spent the majority of his career at the Calgary Girls’ School teaching band, choir and elementary music.  Over the course of his time there, his ensembles received numerous awards at the local, provincial and national levels. He was a highly regarded and well-loved teacher and he continued to inspire students long after they left the school.

Quan’s passion for music extended well beyond the classroom; he served on committees with the Alberta International Band Festival, Choir Alberta, and he also served on the board of the Calgary Civic Symphony, of which he was a long-time performing member.

As his passion for music grew, he spent much of his time composing and arranging works for choirs and bands.  Perhaps his most meaningful composition was a work that he composed for concert band, called Portrait of Terry Fox; a piece he began and completed only months before he was diagnosed with Leukemia.  This piece went on to become the winner of the Howard Cable Prize in Composition from the Canadian Band Association and continues to be performed across North America today.

Loved by everyone who knew him, Quan was a generous and caring person.  His witty sense of humour, his warmth, and his easy going personality drew people to him.  Everyone felt like the center of the universe when they were with him.  He could talk to anyone about anything and even the most unassuming conversations turned into in-depth meaningful connections.  He truly loved learning about others and always saw the best in everyone.  He was a man of integrity and character, and he was an inspiring mentor to his colleagues, students and friends.

The most important part of Quan’s life was his role as a husband and father.  Not a day would go by without him expressing his gratitude and love for his family.  Every night as he checked on his three boys sleeping peacefully in bed he would always say, “We are so lucky.”

Quan was the center of the world to his three beautiful boys, Gavin, Ben and Gabe and his wife, Wanda.  He was a nurturing man, and had a gift for being a creative playmate and story teller with his boys, often making up elaborate tales and inspiring a world of imagination for his children.   He was an amazing cook, and his family was always fortunate to try out his latest creations in the kitchen.   He brought so much joy to their lives.

In September of 2017, Quan started experiencing pain in his knee, which was initially diagnosed as bursitis.  After a few weeks of the pain persisting with no improvement, Quan went for blood work on October 2nd.  That same evening, he received a call saying that his white blood cell count was high and he had Leukemia.  Quan was admitted to the hospital that same night.  Days later, Quan was officially diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.    We were told that treatment would be a marathon, but his health deteriorated very quickly in the days that followed.  Quan died on October 8, 2017, just seven days after receiving the phone call that changed our lives.   He was only 38 years old. His three boys were 8, 4 and just 10 months old when he passed away. 

During the week that Quan spent in the hospital, he expressed a strong determination that once he recovered, he would actively support fundraising for cancer research.  Quan was always thinking of others and was always looking for the positive in every situation.

After Quan died, his wife and three boys moved to the Edmonton area to be closer to family, and each year they participate in Light the Night as a special way to remember and honour him.

This event has a special place in our hearts as we do our part to help support this amazing cause. We are so honored to share Quan’s story as the Remembered Hero for Light the Night 2024.