The Tragic Death of Gamer David Hance, AKA “Allied,” World Smite Champion
To his mother, David Hance was a shy, nerdy Puerto Rican kid from the Bronx who had an unhealthy obsession with video games. To everyone else, he was Allied—a world-class esports champion, whose boisterous live-streams garnered thousands of views. For years, Hance navigated these disparate identities with ease. But then, at age 24, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer.
In a new documentary from The Atlantic, Hance’s family undergoes the emotional process of reconciling the David they knew with his secret identity—a professional gamer and tragic hero, beloved by a large online community.
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