Team Vitality's VALORANT Pro player duelist Twisten passed away earlier today at the young age of 19. RIP Twisten.
Trigger Warning: Depression and Suicide
VALORANT Pro Player Twisten dies at the age of 19, Team Vitality announces
Rest in Peace Karel ❤️ pic.twitter.com/F3JjY9aCef
— Team Vitality 🐝 (@TeamVitality) June 7, 2023
French esports organization Team Vitality announced on June 7, 2023, that their VALORANT team's duelist Karel “Twisten” Ašenbrener has died at the age of 19. The Czech player is known to be an aggressive duelist who broke out into the scene as part of the team BIG, before being picked up by Team Vitality towards the end of 2022.
While no official cause of death was announced, Twisten's death is believed to be a victim of suicide. Team Vitality followed up on their announcement with a tweet that reads:
“Mental health continues to be an extremely important topic for everyone in esports and in life. If you are struggling please reach out to someone to talk, it is never too late.”
The tweet included a link to a mental health line, encouraging people to reach out to talk to someone in case they are feeling any mental distress.
The entire esports industry has since shared their condolences for the loss of Twisten. Tributes to the young duelist, whose career was cut short by this tragedy, have been pouring since news of his passing went the rounds on social media. While Twisten and Team Vitality have yet to reach legendary levels of achievement in the VALORANT scene, it was clear that Twisten was among those who had a bright future as potentially a great duelist for any team. Sadly, we will not get to see him take the stage again. RIP Twisten.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with mental health, or experiencing suicidal thoughts and/or distress, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 at 1-800-273-8255. You can also call or text 988 to get connected to trained counselors.