Terminally Ill Fan Spending Final Days Playing Doom And The Devs Want Him To Know He’s Not Alone

One of the creators behind Doom and one of the lead developers directing the franchise today replied to a terminally ill fan’s touching post about how he’s spending his final weeks alive playing Doom Eternal on a PS5 in a hospital room.

On January 31, Wanderingrader123 posted a sad but powerful story to Reddit explaining that he has been battling Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma cancer since 2022. However, his situation hasn’t improved, and doctors say he possibly only has weeks to live. The Toronto hospital he is in offered to fulfill any request he had during his remaining time, and he asked if you could play 2025’s Doom: The Dark Ages, saying he’s been a fan of the series since 2016, and the reboot and sequel, Doom Eternal, have helped him through some “tough times.” However, due to “financial issues” he has been unable to play through Dark Ages. Thankfully, the hospital got him a PS5 and a copy of the game, and he’s currently ripping and tearing his way through it.

“I may not live to see the upcoming DLC, but I am nonetheless happy to finally play the game in my own hands,” said Wanderingrader123. “To the developers of ID Software, thank you for bringing such a beautiful piece of art that not only brought the FPS genre to its roots, but also revitalize and reinvented the wheel that no other game could. Not only that, but thank you for crafting such an awesome series for a fan like me.”

His post and story caught the attention of id game director Hugo Martin, who has served as the lead developer on the recent Doom games, including Dark Ages.

“Thank you so much for your support and know that all of id salutes you brother,” replied Martin on Reddit. “I tell the team all the time, people care about our games, we have to put the same amount of care into making them. It has been the honor of our professional lives making these past three games for fans like you. To make the Slayer feel STRONG in DOOM, we infuse him with all the attributes of a true old school hero: we give him strength, courage and heart… we make him like you. RIP AND TEAR, my friend. You are the real Slayer.”

Wanderingrader123’s bittersweet post also caught the attention of John Romero himself, one of the original developers who helped create Doom and id Software back in the 1990s.

“I am so moved and honored that you carried DOOM with you for a decade and chose to live in DOOM as your journey nears its end,” posted Romero. “You are the definition of bravery and courage. You are the reason DOOM exists.”

“When we made DOOM, we wanted to create a world where you felt powerful even in the face of overwhelming odds. Knowing that it has been a companion to you, something familiar, something steady, something alive, means more to me than I can properly put into words. You are not alone in that hospital room. You are standing in a place millions of us have stood, fighting. Every enemy, every level, every moment matters because you do. Thank you for sharing this part of your life with us. Thank you for bringing DOOM with you. Rip and tear—with love and respect.”

Beyond these Doom devs, the wider Doom community replied to Wanderingrader123’s post, sharing words of encouragement and commending the poster for his bravery.  The outpouring of love and support led to Wanderingrader123 responding. Here’s his full reply:

“I want to thank you all for the kind support you have given over in the past 24 hours. I’ll admit, I was very hesitant and reluctant even to make such a post due to the nature of my condition. No amount of words can describe the overwhelming kindness you have given me since I posted. Not only from the fans but to also the developers as well. I have recieved massive amounts of DMs, which I am incredibly grateful of, though, I won’t be able to get through most. Still, I am grateful nonetheless. It is an extreme privilege to be in a welcoming community such as r/Doom and be able to share this post. I am currently having a blast beating up demons with the flail.”

“And for people wondering, I am actually in the Toronto General Hospital in Downtown, Toronto, Ontario. But for the sake of both my privacy and my family, I will not divulge my location further than that. Please and thank you for respecting my privacy, as well as the massive support. I will use the time that I have left to not only enjoy myself but to also spend time with my family and friends. Thank you again, everyone!”