EVE Online Remembers Another Player

In some social circles, those who play video games a lot are not highly thought of.  I won't go into the details.  Those who's hobby involves video games know the stereotypes.  And amongst those who do follow video games, many consider the EVE community among the lowest of the low.  People hear the words "open world PvP sandbox" and immediately place EVE players in a box in their heads.  Then the stories of scamming and corp theft, activities not allowed in most other MMORPGs, along with suicide ganking, emerge.  After that, don't try to convince some people that all EVE players are immoral, player-killer monsters.  Nothing those people hear will convince them otherwise.

But the EVE community, except for a few exceptions, is able to separate in-game and out-of-game activity remarkably well.  Go to a player meetup and you'll find in-game enemies talking and laughing amicably.  That's my experience from attending Fanfest the last three years and the experience I read about whenever a player gathering is covered.

One place where real life intrudes into the game world is when a player behind the avatar dies.  The most famous example in when Sean "Vile Rat" Smith died during the attack on the terrorist attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi.  The outpouring of grief and support was so great and so noted that academics have even written papers about the in-game events following Vile Rat's death.  Goonswarm continues to honor his memory on the anniversary of the attack.

But this type of reaction is not reserved just for the powerful and famous.  A Reddit user with the handle NickNackPaddiwack put up this post on the social platform informing those who had helped him out in the past with some sad news:

"Three weeks ago I made a post thanking a couple RedditEvers for giving my grandfather 200mil isk so I could plex his account. I ended up receiving a cosmic level of support, nice words, stories, encouragement, and a generous amount of ISK, all of which was totally unnecessary. I just want those people to know that we put that ISK to great use, and had a shit ton of fun together.
My grandfather passed away early this morning at home. I last spoke to him last night as he got lost in a worm hold and I had to go and bail him out. I want to personally thank everyone who took him, and I, through a tour of their wormholes and chains. I really think Eve gave him something positive and fun to distract himself with over the past month. It was awesome see him get out of his comfort zone, as he is a total noob with any electronics, let alone a computer game, let alone a hard mode game such as Eve.

"I could tell he was starting to go down hill over the past 7 days, but he still managed to find a couple hours at night before bed to play with me. I really think the generosity and outreaching we received touched his heart in a special way. He was a typical "get off my lawn you whipper snappers" old man, and to see so many young people get involved in something with him, really threw him for a loop, I think.

"I got one of those little Rifter USB things, and will be putting in his casket along with a picture of an Ishkur, which ended up becoming his favorite ship to try and PvP in, mostly because he though it looked like a shoe. He used to say, "Nicknack, I'm in a shoe in space, on my computer, in my house, with a cup of coffee, in't that something." I'm really happy I got to connect with him on a level we really both could enjoy, even if he didn't ever get that solo PvP kill he was shooting for.
If anyone is interested in writing a short message I could impose over the picture of the Ishkur, feel free to PM me and address it to PopPaddi. Please don't feel obligated to I just thought it would be something nice to give him, because this was our thing, and believe it or not, a lot of your were involved in it too.

"Thanks again, /r/Eve, you guys truly are something else. This message isn't so much a broadcast for Reps as it is a thanks to logi for being so awesome without even being asked for anything in the first place. This is my favorite community, and you all hold a special place in my heart for helping make an old man's last days so much easier, both on himself, but also on me. I totally hope they have Ishkurs wherever he is.

"Edit: The downpour of condolences, kind words, and for some reason, Reddit Gold, has me tearing up and emotional, on an already sad day. Jeeze guys, you know just how to cut to the core of me. What does Reddit Gold do? I mean I've heard of it, but can I eat it or something?

"Edit 2: Wow guys. I received so many nice messages from all of you. I'm truly touched, there isn't much more I can say except I love you all. You're strangers, but you as a whole form a community that is both welcoming, and fun. Today, has obviously been filled with turmoil and emotion, but you've all made it a bit easier to see the big picture, and be happy that I go to spend some time with someone I love, doing something we both love together. Again, thank you to everyone.

"Edit 3: A lot of people are asking for his Ishkur fit. Sorry, this is late, I was with family and stuff. Anyways here ya go!

[Ishkur, Gramps]
Small Ancillary Armor Repairer, Nanite Repair Paste
Adaptive Nano Plating II
Magnetic Field Stabilizer II
Damage Control II
Warp Scrambler II
Experimental 1MN Afterburner I
X5 Prototype Engine Enervator
Light Ion Blaster II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
Light Ion Blaster II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
Light Ion Blaster II, Caldari Navy Antimatter Charge S
Small Nosferatu II
Small Trimark Armor Pump I
Small Trimark Armor Pump I
Imperial Navy Acolyte x5

"I think it's a good enough fit for an old man who didn't really know what he was doing, and only spent a couple weeks trying PvP."

This is just the opening post.  I really recommend reading the outpouring of support NickNack received on the loss of his grandfather.

As mentioned in the comments, Sindel Pellion is going to help those remembering NickNack's grandfather by opening  up The Angel Project's inventory and handing out up to 1000 Ishkurs this weekend in Amarr.  For those who want to aid her effort, you can contract Ishkurs, their fittings, and drones to The Angel Project (not Sindel) in any high sec station.  But given that she only has a couple of days to get everything in place, she'd appreciate it if those donating could deliver and contract the donations in the Amarr VIII, Emperor Family Academy station in Amarr.

After doing a little more research, NickNack's grandfather liked flying the Condor before he started flying the Ishkur.  So if you can't fly the assault frigate, the Condor is an appropriate alternative.