Today, the mother of the late esports player in Valorant, Karel "Twisten" Ashenbrener, who took his own life on June 6, expressed her position, emphasizing that the issue of depression needs to be openly discussed in society and not tabooed.
I don't want to and will not stay silent. I don't want the death of my beloved son to trigger a wave of criticism towards esports. I thought I could avoid reading comments where smart people write, "Well, young people don't know what to do. No wonder when they sit in front of the computer all day. Who knows what kind of family he came from. If he wanted to, he could have sought treatment." Where does this certainty in your "own truth" come from?
Our son was surrounded by love. Maybe I'm not a perfect mother, but I always supported and loved all three of my sons unconditionally. At the same time, I never held them back. My husband always told me that a person should have a dream to soar to the clouds. Karel was soaring. I'm proud that he admitted his depression earlier this year.
Blaming gamers is absurd. Karel didn't just sit in front of the computer. Professional esports players have a strict routine. They need to eat properly, exercise, and get enough sleep. Performances exert constant pressure on the mind. If there's a predisposition to anxiety in the genes, it can quickly lead to depression. And sometimes, a bout of unhappiness is enough to cause a short circuit.
No one has the right to judge anyone. Our son fought with illness, and he fought bravely. Just like the players of Team Vitality and BIG. Football players, hockey players, and other athletes do the same.
Depression is not an illness that someone "catches" by playing computer games. Depression cannot be controlled by willpower; it needs to be treated. Depression and any other mental illnesses should not be taboo in society.
We should not hide the fact that besides our physical bodies, we also have souls. Let's not stay silent about it. We shouldn't. No one should bear the stigma of mental illness. They are just as human as anyone else. I don't regret a single minute spent with my son.
The full story
On June 7, the Team Vitality organization announced on their Twitter account that a player from their Valorant roster had committed suicide.
Afterwards, many esports organizations also expressed their condolences through comments on the post.
And in response, the captain of Team Vitality in CS:GO, Dan "apEX" Madesclaire, tweeted:
What a terrible news
Ashenbrener ended his life on June 7. In his last tweet, he wrote "Goodnight." Previously, he openly talked about his struggle with depression and self-harm.
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