Tillsonburg is mourning the loss of Tuan “Jimmy” Hua, a 38-year-old veteran and longtime downtown barber who died in a motorcycle crash on Monday, August 3, 2026. The Town of Tillsonburg ordered flags lowered at all municipal properties until Tuesday, August 11, 2026, to honour his memory and his contributions to the community.
The crash happened just after 5:00 p.m. on Simcoe Street in Tillsonburg between West Town Line and Goshen Street. Hua was riding a motorcycle when he hit the rear of an SUV and was ejected from his bike. He was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries and later died, according to the OPP. The driver of the SUV was not injured.
Hua was the owner of Tuan The Barber, a popular downtown shop at 1 Library Lane, Suite 103. He started cutting hair during the COVID-19 pandemic and built his business from a small location on Broadway to a larger space where he welcomed families and children for haircuts. He was known as a friendly, generous presence in the downtown core.
Beyond his shop, Hua was deeply involved in the Tillsonburg community. He sponsored a local hockey team, helped raise money and food for those in need, and had planned to travel to Guatemala this summer for a church mission. He was also a veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces.
In a statement, the Town of Tillsonburg said, “Jimmy was a veteran and a valued member of the Tillsonburg community, owning and operating Tuan The Barber in downtown Tillsonburg.” Flowers and memorial items were placed outside his shop in the days after the crash.
Hua grew up in Tillsonburg after his parents came to Canada from Vietnam with help from a church in St. Thomas. He was given the English name Jimmy as a child. Shortly before his death, he was one month away from marrying his fiancée. He leaves behind his fiancée and his son.
