When it comes to Esports, the friendships made in these games can become more than what most people believe. You can find a person from halfway around the world, and in a couple of months, consider them to be more than just a friend–the friendships made in these games are like family, and now the family we made pays their respects for our latest loss. Maurice “Fero” Henriquez, unfortunately, passed away this November 10, 2020. Henriquez’s family announced his death through Twitter saying “This is Maurice’s, aka F3ro, family. We are saddened to announce his passing.” 

Beforehand, those close to Henriquez spread the rumor of his passing due to his struggle with depression which eventually led him to take his own life. Later that day, the Florida Mutineers tweeted the truth stating, “At his family’s request we report that his tragic death was not ruled a suicide.” We later found out that the real reason for his passing was due to multiple heart attacks.  

The Florida Mutineers were not the only ones who honored and represented Henriquez’s name. A week has passed, and all over Call of Duty, we can see the clan tag “f3f3” being worn by players around the world. Professional players have reached out to his family regarding the situation to try and help in any way, every big Call of Duty Organization reaching out and making it public how they feel about the tragic loss to the Call of Duty community. From Team Envy, owner of the franchised team Dallas Empire, to 100 Thieves, the owner of the LA Thieves, have all tweeted out about the situation. 

Team Envy said, “We are deeply saddened to hear the news of Fero. His family and friends are in our thoughts and we extend our deepest sympathies during this difficult time.” 

100 Thieves stated, “We’re so sad & heartbroken. You are one of the kindest hearts we have ever met. Rest in peace.”

The damage was felt throughout the Community, but so was the support. A lot of statements were made, representing the support the Esports community has had regarding these touchy subjects. The Esports community has lived through such a situation more than once. In 2015, Pro Player Phillip “Phizzurp” Klemenov passed away because of a devastating car crash that resulted in up to three deaths. Everyone in the Esports scene reached out by donating to his family for all the expenses, and ended up making him one of the most known names in Call of Duty. The support and help was widely acknowledged across the world, and now, the community has flourished and grown to an state in which players have begun to call each other family. Now, the question is: will the same happen to Henriquez? Will he live as a legend in Call of Duty like Klemenov? 

Only time will truly tell what will flourish due to this tragic news.

Henriquez, throughout his short career, was a very accomplished Call Of Duty player who played in the first season of the inaugural Call Of Duty League (CDL), for the Florida Mutineers. Although his start was not the best, he played as an amateur to prove his skill against many other players, and was even given a chance against the top dogs. He had a breakout performance next to his old teammate Joseph “Awoken” Conley, which made him the star player for the team, winning them up to three back-to-back championships with an outstanding Champs run. Making him earn a spot in the League’s Top 10 players, Henriquez was able to rack up an astonishing 65,000 dollars in prize money after three events representing the Mutineers. 

Henriquez was a Call of Duty professional since 2014, hopping around newly made teams like Denial Esports, DooM Clan, and eRa Eternity. In 2018, he began his career in a team that put his name out for all the top dogs. In the team Ground Zero, he had his first-ever breakout performance, where he was able to land himself into widely known teams like Team Kaliber, 100 Thieves, and Team Envy. While at Team Kaliber, he was able to win his first-ever Pro Tournament at the age of 19, where he went back-to-back to win his second tournament to allow himself a chance at 100 Thieves. 100 Thieves, coming back to the Call of Duty scene, was a startle for everyone, and was expected to live up to its potential. After the thrilling year Henriquez just had at Team Kaliber, nothing less was expected from him at 100 Thieves. Unfortunately, the opposite occurred, and Henriquez was a total flop. That led him to join Team Envy, which gave him a huge leap of hope as he played like the player he was in Team Kaliber. During this time, he was able to win up to 125,450 dollars in prize money for his career, winning his teams up to five total championships. 

Henriquez was often perceived as a hardworking player who was generally in love with the game and his dedication proved such. Henriquez was truly talented at the game, and, some say, he was destined for greatness.

 Everyone in the Esports community will remember him as more than a friend–they will remember him as family.

May he rest in peace–a soul with the kindest heart, and a one-of-a-kind story.