gg commercials

I started playing Smite in October 2015. Two of my co-workers at my job at the time were getting into it, and I wanted to join. I had never played a MOBA before, and was instantly hooked. But I wasn't that good. So I went to look for a stream to watch, and Allied happened to be streaming at that time. Not knowing what I was in for, I clicked his stream. I ended up subbing my second time watching because he explained where the best emote of all time, alliedLit, came from, and I had laughed so hard at the origin of it I had to give him my $5.

Over the next few months, I never missed a stream if I could help it. Even when he wasn't playing Smite, I was there. I made friends with all the other regulars, and his stream was always a bright spot in my day, no matter how bad the rest of it was. He was the reason I went to SWC 2016. I was almost too nervous to talk to him, but I finally caught him briefly near the end of one of the days. (They were playing for nV on the Xbox, and the Xbox playoffs were closed to the public.) I hated to bother him eating, but he was just... so nice! I was honestly surprised. I didn't get to see him much the rest of SWC, but he was always so happy and kind when I did.

After SWC, things went back to normal for a while. Until the day he had to end Fight Club early because he wasn't feeling well. It was shortly after that that we all got the news. I don't think I believed it at first, and even when I did I didn't think it was as serious as everyone said. Because in my head, I knew that Allied could beat cancer. Allied could do anything. He had his whole life ahead of him. Still, I donated to whoever I could, when I could. It wasn't until Allied showed up briefly at the Spring Fling that year that I actually understood how bad this could be. He looked so weak, so lifeless. Nothing like the Allied we all saw on twitch daily. But he was heading up to New York for the best medical procedures, and so I still believed.

I watched his journey and progress every step of the way. I ended up having to unsub because I had lost my job, but I still gave what support I could. And watching him slowly get better, slowly return to himself as much as he could made me so happy. Seeing him at SWC/HRX this year was just... He was still weak, but he was there. And he was doing well. And not long after that, he announced that the cancer was basically gone, and we all celebrated. He was nothing but smiles at the Spring Fling this year. It looked liked things were finally looking up.

... I was supposed to be asleep that night. I had work early. But I was going thru twitter one last time, and I saw tweets starting to come in. Saying that Allied would be passing soon. I was in shock, and I started crying. So much so that I woke my mom up. I cried on and off for the next few days, including after he finally was at rest. He was cured, I said to myself. What happened?! Why him?!

There are still days were I remember that he's gone and I feel like I got the wind knocked out of me. Which I think is...weird. I wasn't even that close to him. Why is this messing with me so much? And I think it's because without Allied, the last two years of my life would have been completely different. I wouldn't know the people I know now, I wouldn't have the friends I have, I wouldn't be where I am today without him. Hell, I probably wouldn't be alive today if it hadn't been for his streams giving me something good to look forward to. I once donated $100 to him saying something along the lines of 'thanks for giving me something good to end the night on'. And I meant it.

So, thank you Allied. Thank you for changing my life in ways you probably didn't know about. Thank you for being you all the way up to the end. And I hope that, wherever you are, you realize how much of a positive impact you had on everyone who ever knew you. But for now it's time to take a break.

gg
commercials