Dear Destructoid,

For a long time, I’ve wanted to post here just to say thank you. I’m not exactly sure how to start, so I’m just going to go and say it.

Thank you. Everyone. Thank you all so much.

I made my first cblog back in November 2008 where I wrote about an awesome Halloween I had dressed as Super Mario (anyone remember?), from that moment, I’ve never felt so accepted.

I originally began contributing to the site as an escape from University, a place where I wasn’t fitting in, I had no friends there, spent my evenings after lectures just sitting in my dorm room feeling sorry for myself. Then Destructoid happened.

It all started innocently enough, annoyed with my loneliness and lack of social interaction in Uni, I decided to post on the forums. Having been a long time lurker of the site (I joined in December 2006), I knew that Destructoid was very proud of it’s community and I really wanted to feel a part of it.

Desperately wanting to contribute something to my new friends, I began my ‘Tell me what to draw’ series of blogs, where I’d ask the community what I should draw. Soon after, Hamza emailed me about being featured on Art Attack Friday.

All this caused something amazing…

I started feeling good about myself.

For so long I had been feeling depressed, then all you came along and changed me. You helped me. I continued to illustrate based on random community members whims, still happy with myself thinking that things couldn’t get any better could they?

This is Destructoid! Of course they can get better!


Out of nowhere, I get an email from Niero asking if I want to do a comic for the site, with a story driven by community members. Something that I’ve always wanted to do, and here’s this guy on the other side of the world, helping me along to do it.

Then there was the community meetups. Oh MAN, the community meetups. I remember my first one. Resident Evil 5 at the Capcom office in London February 2009. The first community member I met? Hollie ‘Pheonix’ Bennett. Quite possibly the greatest person I have ever met. It was the greatest day of my life. We met with some other Dtoiders then went to Capcom for free pizza and Coca Cola. And Resident Evil 5.

This photo was actually taken at Eurogamer, which again, was AWESOME.

After that, PAX. It was surreal. At this point, I was quite well known on the site (who’da thought? Little old me?), and let me tell you, having about 50 random strangers know who you are and want to say hi to you… it’s incredible (unless you’re trying to use the public toilet, then it’s just creepy).

Here I met so many wonderful people, Stella Wong <3, Ashley Davis, Niero, Hamza, Colette, Maya, Anthony Burch, Ashly Burch (who I don’t think I actually properly met, but she called my name from the other side of the street, which was AWESOME), GrumpyTurtle, Samit, Dyson, Chad, Gandysampras, Half left, Chooly… everyone! I was so worried my social anxiety would kick in, but you all made me feel so welcomed.

Since then, my life has just become so much better. I’ve met so many wonderful and absolutely amazing people; I really don’t know where I’d be today.







Which brings me to one of the most amazing things that has ever happened in my life.

As most of you know, I never had an Xbox 360. I always wanted one, but my financial situation has been in the toilet for years, so I’ve never had any disposable income since it came out to buy one.

Last week it was my birthday, and I was excited. Stella was coming down to see me, we were gonna meet up with a lot of Dtoiders in London, it was gonna be fun.

Now, I wasn’t expecting anything spectacular for my birthday, a couple of cards, maybe some small gifts… Mainly, I was looking forward to seeing everyone and have a good night. But I should have known, Destructoid will always throw your expectations away and give you something greater in return. Stella and I get to the place where my birthday meal is at and at my space on the table, I see this…



Which I open, mildly uncormfortable thanks to the 20 or so pairs of eyes looking my way, to find…


AN XBOX 360 ELITE WITH 11 GAMES.



I have never, EVER got that much for Christmas, let alone my birthday! This was the most amazing surprise I have ever had. It was made even more amazing when I found out that a load of Dtoiders and staff members pitched in to get it for me! As someone who’s felt like a bit of a quiet loner for most of his life, words cannot even come close to how this made me feel. I was so happy. Not just with such an awesome gift, but with the fact that all these people, some of whom I didn’t even know would just go out of their way and do something so incredible for me… that I… I… I’m gobsmacked.

Each time I look at the 360, I see every one of you. I see the entire community. I see friends.

There is so much more to say, but I don’t know how to say it. I just love you all.

My gamertag is MikeyTurvey. Add me! :D
______________________________________________________________________________________

Special thanks to…

Hamza, for that first email you sent me asking about featuring me on Art Attack Friday.

Niero, for asking me to do the comic, I love you.

Dyson, Topher, Chad and Colette, thanks for giving me something to listen to while I was stuck all alone in university.

Stella, I love you so much, you are the most amazing girl in the world.

Hollie, if it wasn’t for you, I may never have gone to PAX, you have completely changed my life and I love you.

Ashley Davis, my bestest best art friend! I miss the times where we used to show each other sneak previews of our work!

Maya (bushofghosts), for letting me stick my hand up her lobster for an entire day at PAX. Also, STAR WARS 4 LYFE.

Gandysampras, your hugs make everything better.

Gavin, you may be the most pessimistic person in the universe, but I love you.

Corican, if it wasn’t for you, I may be homeless right now. Thanks for everything!

Anthony Burch, for putting a piece of my artwork on the HAWP DVD.

Ashly Burch, for being awesome.

Krow, for being a good friend.

Technophile, for recognising that I truly am a GOD.

EVERYONE at DtoidUK, every single last one of you. For those on Dtoid living in the UK, you should definitely email Hollie right now(Hollie@destructoid.com) and be part of something beautiful.

Everyone that donated towards my birthday present, I love you. No. I’m IN love with you.

And to everyone else I’ve met or interacted with through Dtoid, I love you all too.

<3

Thank you for making me a somebody.