Popular Twitch streamer Byron Bernstein aka Reckful, has died, his brother Gary confirmed on Thursday. He was 31.
The cause of death was not revealed, but Bernstein’s ex-girlfriend Blue Madrigal, a.k.a. Blue Goes Mew, said he died by suicide. “Someone I love killed themselves. I wish I could have said something to prevent it… whyyyyyy,” Madrigal tweeted. When asked by followers if she was talking about Bernstein, she responded, “Yes, it’s him. He’s gone.”
Another ex-girlfriend, Becca Cho, posted that she and Berstein had candid conversations about mental health, and at some point “he had the authorities called on him for being at risk of suicide.”
In one of his final tweets to his 400,000+ followers, Bernstein proposed to Cho. She wrote that she did not see his proposal “until it was too late.”
According to his Twitter bio, Byron was one of the top “World of Warcraft” players in the world and regularly streamed on Twitch, where he had 950,000-plus followers. Forbes reported that Reckful ranked No. 1 in six consecutive seasons of the popular multiplayer online role-playing game.
He was also creating a game called “Everlane,” which is described as a “social online world releasing in 2020 — hoping to help people find friendship and a sense of community.
Read the tweet announcing Byron/Reckful’s death below as well as tributes from other notable gamers:
My baby brother Byron @reckful is gone. RIP. He left in a similar way as my older brother Guy. I’ve no siblings left.
If you have stories and pictures of him, please share them. pic.twitter.com/11sNZkNxFy
— Gary Bernstein (@Gary_Bernstein) July 2, 2020
Every since our WoW raids, I have always celebrated your success. I thought one day we would share our experiences living these lives in parallel as old dudes over some beer. RIP Byron
— Kripparrian (@Kripparrian) July 2, 2020
Love you so much…..You were one of my best friends. I’m going to miss you so much Byron. Rest In Peace pic.twitter.com/evS56huxHE
— Barry (@Barry_74) July 2, 2020
Only a few legends ever existed on Twitch
Reckful was one of them
Inspiration for so many, and for myself
Rest In Peace @Byron ❤️
Thanks for the tea last year.. it meant more to me than you know. I felt like you finally accepted me as your friend
I find myself frozen rn..
— Jake'n'Bake @ LA ?? (@jakenbakeLIVE) July 2, 2020
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255) is a free, 24/7 confidential service that can provide people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress, or those around them, with support, information and local resources.