A moment of thanks

Good afternoon,

I am writing this in a internet cafe in Japan, I feel like I owe Riot and its developers a thank you and I wanted others to see it. I am in the US Navy, in Japan is all I can say at the moment. But here is my story and why I am thanking Riot and the game they have upkept while i was away. I have played league of about 3 years now, I started a few months before I joined and I was a raging, toxic, unskilled player. (The unskilled hasn`t changed.) I was even nearly perma banned at one point for being so toxic. So I joined the Navy and thought that this was something I would forget and never care about again, just another game. Right after I joined I got sent on a work up/exercise for 5 months, (After my first few months of bootcamp/school) I got back to land and got freedom after about 5 months and I said ehhh, Ill try League again and I then started playing again. And I realized it helped me stay somewhat sane in a way. Shortly after I started playing again I got as we call in the militairy, "Volentold" that I was going to leave in less than 72 hours to help in Operation Inharent Resolve. I then spent 17 straight months at sea, land, and all other sorts of intresting things, I visited 9 countries, saw over 2900 sorties dropped, over 1000 bombs dropped, and that entire time I tried enjoying it but I was away from friends and family friends.

Now I have never been a emotional person or one whom would just give someone a hug or say those 3 words to close family. I was raised rather tough, played ball, wrestled, even got the chance to play college football and wrestling, played with a few NFL players in college. (Not boasting in any way), Just proving that I was a tougher kid so to speak. And when we were on these different missions I honestly started losing my mind. I started breaking down as every human does. I had to get a lot of counceling, a lot of long talks, even a hospital visit. I came back after those 17 months a changed man and I was rekt again! I got told I was going back out for 4 more months and I had no say so. So I went again, and more things happend. And finally ITS OVER! And I was talking to my therapist and she asked how I have been talking to family and I actually manned up and told her through a video game. (My step father, brother, and sister all play) And she was actually extremely proud and told me how great it was that in a way I have started to build communicatio and reach out to my family again.

This might be the worst post you have ever read, but thank you Riot. And not just riot, but the people that support and play. Someones now when I get in a match a simple GLHF at the start will make me think about things and realize how awesome it is to be able to play a game, all on an even field, nobody knows what that other one has been through and for atleast the next 20 minutes, were going to be on a team and have each others backs. Its a awesome community and great leaders. Thank you Riot for everything!

edt; im not fixing my spelling errors, I am aware how terrible I am at writing. excuse it please!