Exclusive
The Travis County medical examiner has wrapped up its investigation into the death of pro gaming star Byron Bernstein — aka “Reckful” — and determined he died by suicide.
Bernstein’s ex-girlfriend broke the news of his death on July 2 on social media. No details were released at the time. Officials in Travis County, Texas subsequently launched a probe to find out exactly what happened to the 31-year-old.
Now, the M.E. has released the findings of its investigation — which say emergency responders raced to the scene of the incident and tried to resuscitate Bernstein, but to no avail. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officials say Bernstein had been under significant stress … including dealing with money problems and a breakup with a former girlfriend.
The investigators also noted Bernstein had a history of depression, and had previously attempted suicide several years ago.
Bernstein was a legend in gaming, especially at “World of Warcraft” — where he was the #1 ranked player in the world for 6 straight seasons.
He famously won the Major League Gaming “WOW” tourney back in 2010.
He later became a streaming sensation on Twitch — where he amassed a following of more than 900,000. He also developed a big following on YouTube and Twitter.
Bernstein had talked publicly about his battle with depression in the past, saying it started when he was 14.
Just last year, Byron appeared on the HealthyGamerGG show to talk about his issues and revealed he was diagnosed with Bipolar Type 2 as a child. He also said his brother took his own life after a battle with depression years ago.
RIP.
If you or anyone you know is suffering from depression or suicidal thoughts, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 1-800-273-8255 … or clicking here.