Two-time VCS Champion EGO dead of heart attack at 21 years old

Nguyễn "EGO" Khánh Hòa, a two-time champion of the Vietnam Championship Series (VCS), has tragically passed away at the age of 21 of a heart attack. EGO was a prominent League of Legends player in the VCS, competing professionally from 2020 to 2023.

EGO - A fleeting star of the VCS

A Vietnam native, EGO began his esports journey at 17 when he joined Team Flash as a trainee in February 2020. He quickly rose to prominence, making his debut as a substitute in the Mid-Season Showdown that May before being promoted to the starting roster ahead of the Summer Split.

EGO's talent was immediately evident, as he helped lead Team Flash to a VCS title in his first competitive split, the VCS Summer 2020, even earning Finals MVP honors.

In November of that same year, he transferred to CERBERUS Esports, where he achieved further success, securing another VCS championship during the 2021 Winter Split.

At the time of his joining CERBERUS, EGO was nothing short of a star in the VCS. (Credit: VCS)

After two and a half years with CERBERUS, he briefly joined Saigon Buffalo in May 2023, though he did not play any competitive matches for the team before announcing his retirement in August of the same year.

A tragic end

Despite his regional success, EGO never had the opportunity to compete internationally.

Both of EGO's tournament victories in the VCS occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Vietnam was unable to participate in global League of Legends events. As such, despite rightfully earning the opportunity to play against the best teams in the world, EGO never got to live out the dream of every professional League of Legends' player: to compete at the League of Legends World Championship.

It is no secret that the life of a professional esports athlete can be cutthroat at times. A stressful job that comes with the heavy load of fans' expectations and unhealthy lifestyles due to excruciatingly long hours spent on the computer can contribute to a League of Legends' professional player's difficult life.

Tragically, EGO's untimely passing, which was announced on September 5th, was revealed to be due to a sudden heart attack.

Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family and friends during this difficult time.

Image source: VCS

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