When did you start to fall sick? Did you tell your team?

   The team arrived in Atlanta a week before the start of the tournament. Two or three days before, I started feeling pain in my upper stomach. I didn’t tell the team, because I didn’t think it was serious. The qualification was more important, we were at the Major. Then the competition started, and I played the first match against Cloud9 that we lost. It wasn’t that bad, and nobody noticed. I still didn’t tell the team because I didn’t want to find excuses for our loss.

The next day, my teammates started to notice something was wrong. I didn’t talk about it much, but I could feel something wasn’t right. I played the second match against Renegades, but at that time I could feel that, in my body, something wasn’t right. Back at the hotel, the night was terrible, I couldn’t sleep at all that night.

"I could feel that, in my body, something wasn’t right."

The next day, despite your state, you still decided to play. How were you feeling during your match?

   When I woke up, I could feel that I was in a very bad state. I had a lot of trouble breathing, and I felt very weak. I was at the end of my rope. But I was still determined to play. While getting on the bus with the team, I could barely breathe, I was totally panicking. I couldn’t hide my state anymore.

Once we got at the Turner studios, I tried my best to set my gear up. The Eleague staff asked me whether the team wished to forfeit or to replace me. I answered that no, I still wanted to give my best for the team.

During the match against Flash I was definitely not going well. I had a lot of trouble breathing, I was trying nonstop to catch a breathe. I was focused on two things at the same time: my breathing, the game, my breathing, the game… I spent the whole match like that. I didn’t play that bad, and we managed to win. But I couldn’t bear with it anymore afterwards.

"I couldn’t breathe anymore"

After the match ended, I was immediately taken to a health center. The doctors made an x-ray, and after they analyzed it, they quickly took me to the emergency service. I waited there for twelve hours without knowing what was happening, then I started having a fit and for 15 minutes I almost wasn’t able to breath anymore. I was having a respiratory distress. The medical staff then took care of me and made several tests. When they were finally able to make a diagnosis, they told me I had the combo of a flu and a pneumonia. The doctors told me : “it’s over, no match for you now”.

"The doctors told me : “it’s over, no match for you now"

The team had to replace you with maLeK, your coach, to play the match against Quantum Bellator Fire. Did you watch the match?

   Yes, I could watch it on my phone with the hospital’s WiFi. I missed the first half because I was resting. I came when the score was at 10-5 for EnVyUs, and I thought this was a good start. But I know my team, and when I saw how they were being tackled on CT, I knew this was going to be hard. They were basically being destroyed. QBF exploited our weakness in apartments, where maLeK was playing, and ended up winning the match.

During this match, did maLeK try to take the same role and same positions as you?

  Yes, except for a few details. But on CT side, maLeK played in apartments in a different way, and he was killed several times. Our opponents exploited this position a lot, but he did his best and we can’t blame anyone. Maybe our team lacked adjustment, because they let QBF exploit their weakness for 15 rounds, of course it hurt… It’s a shame, because they started pretty well.

"QBF exploited maLeK’s position in apartments"

How is your health now?

  When I arrived at the hospital, the doctors spent three days treating my flu and I was put on oxygen. Right now, they’ve started treating the pneumonia. They told me the pneumonia was serious, a pretty dangerous one. They put a drain on my back in order to remove the fluids from my lungs. Then some complication appeared with the drain, and now I have to stay one more week in the hospital. From now on it should only go better.

If no other complication appears, I’ll have spent between two and three weeks at the hospital in order to get better.

"Between two and three weeks at the hospital”

You’ve been hospitalized far from France. Have you received supportive messages from you surrounding?

  Yes, I’ve received a lot! From my family, and also from the players and the community. It was very touching, it made me happy. I can feel that people were really affected by what happened to me. My team also came to see me, and G2 as well. The EnVyUs structure also took the initiative to pay for my parents’ trip to Atlanta so they could stay by my side. Seeing my parents will help me a lot.

EnVyUs’ staff supports me a lot. But it should be alright now, we’re finally starting to see the end of the tunnel.

Do you wish to thank someone?

  I have to thank everyone, the community and the players, for supporting me. It feels great when you’re being sick. I also want to thank my girlfriend for wearing the hospital’s sofa out to stay by my side. But don’t worry, I’ll be better soon and the Tank will be back.