Esports Star Karel 'Twisten' Ašenbrener Dead at 19: 'Rest Easy Brother, We All Love You'
The star Valorant player had been candid about his battle with depression
Lance Skundrich/Riot Games/Getty
Czech eSports star Karel "Twisten" Ašenbrener has died at age 19.
Harry "Gorilla" Mepham, a coach for Ašenbrener's Team Vitality, confirmed on social media that the gamer died by suicide.
"I woke up this morning to the news of one of my closest friends, someone who genuinely felt as if he was my brother, taking his own life," Mepham wrote. "Words can not describe the grief or emptiness I'm feeling right now. I loved him and forever will. Rest easy brother, we all love you."
Team Vitality also confirmed the sad news on Wednesday.
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“We are heartbroken to share with you that our Valorant player Karel 'Twisten' Ašenbrener passed away last night," Team Vitality wrote. "We are deeply saddened by this devastating loss, and our first thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends in this difficult time."
Earlier this year, the star Valorant player candidly shared his struggle with depression, opening up in a social media post that he had “been dealing with depression for over two years now.”
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"I self harmed and was in [a] bad situation for a few days and was considering ending it all but my dad saved me," he wrote. "I spent [a] few days in the ‘worst' Mental Health Hospital for people that have serious problems."
He added, "It was the hardest time for me as a person and as a professional eSports athlete. But after that time I knew why I'm playing games and what my team means to me."
Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games/Getty
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Ašenbrener won $10,000 in a match on May 25, according to Escorenews.
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In his final post on Twitter Tuesday, he wrote: “Good night.”
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
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