This article contains discussion about suicide.
Ronnie “Oni” Edwards, an editor on the popular YouTube channel Game Theorists, died by suicide on July 4, his colleague Matthew Patrick announced Wednesday.
In a video titled “Losing the Battle,” Patrick (who’s also known as MatPat online) opened up about his relationship with Edwards; Patrick credited Edwards, who initially joined the channel soon after its launch to help edit and preferred editing to writing or hosting, for making Game Theorists what it is today.
On the verge of tears, Patrick revealed that Edwards, 25, died on July 4. He and his colleagues didn’t learn about it until two days later when—after not hearing from Edwards about a video they were working on for a couple days—they visited Edwards’ apartment and found a coroner’s notice on the door. He also explained that the reason that the channel hasn’t addressed Edwards’ death sooner is that they attempted to contact Edwards’ family for permission before making a video, but with emerging news that something may have been amiss, Patrick felt like the channel had to address it.
“Ronnie, in all the years I knew him, dealt with demons only he could understand,” Patrick said.
Patrick said that he never knew all of what Edwards dealt with during his childhood, but that it also formed the person he was. He emphasized how much Edwards’ style has shaped Game Theorists, and that anyone who was influenced by those videos was influenced by Edwards, who wanted his work to be recognized.
For some in the gaming community and those who watched the Game Theorists, Edwards’ death hit particularly hard.
Suicide is something I've dealt with personally many times. Took family, a few close friends, but when you hear of talented young people taking that path sometimes it can hurt even worse. Rest in peace Ronnie Edwards. We wouldnt have Game Theory without you.
— DreamcastGuy (@DreamcastGuy) July 25, 2018
If you hurt get help
https://twitter.com/Daniel_T_1985/status/1022207638568882176
Rest in Peace Ronnie Edwards. All of us theorists out here will miss you terribly.
— Punzie ☀️💜✨ (@daizzibug) July 25, 2018
I’m sick to my stomach over this.
https://twitter.com/GiornosPizza/status/1022188771788369920
https://twitter.com/GiornosPizza/status/1022188771788369920
Patrick hopes that talking about Edwards helps break the stigma around talking about mental health and suicide, and he pointed to the Theorist community as one place for viewers to come together. And he and his colleagues plan on hosting livestreams and making tributes in the future to honor Edwards’ memory.
“I think it merits mentioning,” Patrick said. “We’re all busy every hour of every day around the clock, but take the opportunity to take people what you think, how much you appreciate them, how much you love them, how proud you are of them. Even if that person is really weird in the way that they take their compliments like Ronnie often was. It’ll stick. It’ll land. And that compliment will really mean a lot.”
For more information about suicide prevention or to speak with someone confidentially, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (U.S.) or Samaritans (U.K.).