The Dallas comedy scene is reeling after the sudden and heartbreaking loss of Henry Jose Cruz, a rising comedy star whose life was cut short in a tragic hit-and-run accident early Saturday morning, August 23, 2025.
Cruz, 29, had just wrapped a performance at Shark’s Comedy Club in Deep Ellum—a venue where he had blossomed over the past three years into one of the city’s most beloved comedic voices. Known for his magnetic stage presence and ability to turn personal struggles into punchlines, Cruz was walking home with friends when a speeding vehicle veered off the I-345 exit ramp and struck him near Elm Street. The driver fled the scene, and Cruz was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.
Eyewitnesses described the vehicle as a dark-colored car that jumped the curb and barreled into the group. “We had plenty of time to cross the street,” said Noah Robertson, owner of Shark’s Comedy Club and a close friend of Cruz. “Then out of nowhere, a car came barreling down… Henry went flying through the air. It was surreal”.
Tributes have poured in from across the Dallas-Fort Worth comedy community. Robertson remembered Cruz as “a very genuine guy… He loved making people laugh. He was just a really nice, good person, and sometimes that’s hard to come by these days”. Fellow comedian Sagan Butler added, “He was the light at the end of the tunnel to me”.
A memorial show is scheduled for Saturday, August 30th, at 7 p.m. at Shark’s Comedy Club to honor Cruz’s legacy and raise funds for his family. An online fundraiser has already surpassed $7,500, a testament to the impact Cruz had on those around him.
Dallas police continue to investigate the incident, urging the driver to come forward. As the community grapples with the loss, one message rings clear: Henry Cruz will be remembered not just for his jokes, but for the joy, warmth, and humanity he brought to every room he entered.
