Wow, I'm really sorry to hear this. I read it this morning and it kind of hit me hard for some reason even though I didn't really even know the guy. I guess it's the nature of communication in that weird early 2000's era - I have a memory of this dude but can't really place who he is or what that memory is. We interacted in Alloutgames, IGN, or The Minds Eye but social media wasn't a thing. We all communicated and knew each other, but didn't have that personal life intersection that is inherent with people who grew up with the internet. Yet were still closer than some random poster on like Reddit.
In any time period prior to that era, if you interacted with someone that much you probably knew their face and knew more about their day to day than I ever knew about Cool_gamer. In any time period after they'd either be someone on my social media that I'd see in my feed all the time or someone just lost in the noise on something like reddit. Unless it was the random poster on reddit, I'd know his face and more of his day to day. It's kind of weird.
In either case, whatever the circumstances are, it's sad. Guy was young and he may just be a poster we interacted with years ago but undoubtedly he's really important to someone out there and I feel for them. Dealing with those you love or just care for is a part of life but it fucking sucks every time and it's amazing how far the ripples from one's life can reach.
