Image: Team Flash LoL Esports Official Facebook page
EGO was a jungler for Team Flash, CERBERUS Esports, and Saigon Buffalo.
Former Vietnamese League of Legends (LoL) pro Nguyễn "EGO" Khánh Hòa has died on Thursday (5 September). He was 21 years old.
Team Flash, one of EGO’s former teams, has posted the announcement on social media:
“EGO associated with the best memories of Team Flash at the VCS tournament, is an integral part of the team's success,” the post said. Team Flash acknowledged how EGO has been very special to the organisation even after he moved to another team.
EGO rose from Team Flash's training camp, officially debuting in the international summer 2020. EGO then joined Team Flash as the team’s jungler, helping the team become the VCS Summer 2020 champion and winning the Finals MVP award in the process.
He then moved to CERBERUS Esports in November 2020. During his time with Cerberus Esports, the team won the 2021 VCS Winter Championship.
EGO then moved to Saigon Buffalo in 2023 where he stayed for a season, before taking a break for season 2024.
EGO died of a heart attack
Nguyễn “Aress” Đức Thịnh, former media staff of Saigon Buffalo also posted on social media to provide updates, and to clear up any rumours surrounding his death.
“There were rumours from "T heard it from a friend" had taken drastic measures due to being at a dead end,” the machine translation from Aress’s post read.
"I want to clarify that Hòa passed away due to a myocardial infarction (heart attack) and died suddenly.”
Aress also cleared up rumours surrounding Ego’s living conditions before he died, like "he had no home, no one to take care of him, no relatives, and was isolated when he returned home."
“Though the house is a bit old and shabby, it is still a complete and warm home,” they described. Aress also claimed that they saw “how deeply everyone grieved for Hòa, and I was also teary-eyed out of sympathy,” to the point where Ego’s grandmother even collapsed and fainted during the funeral due to heartbreak.
I saw with my own eyes how Hòa's grandmother was so heartbroken that she collapsed and fainted.”
Representatives from several organisations, including CERBERUS Esports, Team Flash Esports, and Saigon Buffalo Esports, Raze, and others extended their condolences. Aress, representing the esports community, paid final respects to EGO.