The fighting game community is mourning the loss of one of our own and someone who impacted countless lives all around the world.
Michael ‘BrolyLegs’ Begum has sadly passed away according to his family. He was just 35 years old.
Begum was born in April 1988 in Brownsville, Texas to Josefine Begum and Michael Begum, Sr and lived with his siblings, Jonathan and Karin Begum.
Since birth, BrolyLegs had a rare and severe medical condition, arthrogryposis, which impacted his limbs and joints, leaving him largely immobile.
From a young age, Begum developed a love for video games and created his own distinct method of controlling them using his wrist, chin, mouth and face.
This would lead BrolyLegs to the world of competitive gaming as a teenager with Super Smash Bros. Melee, but he’d make his biggest impact on the fighting game community in Street Fighter.
He was able to reach the number one rank in online Street Fighter 4 with his signature Chun-Li and competed with her at tournaments all around the country where made new friends everywhere he went.
His accolades go beyond his play as well being a well respected coach that helped others improve, for his work with AbleGamers and even as an author with his autobiography My Life Beyond The Floor.
No cause of death has been shared publicly, nor is there any current information about a public memorial.
Right now, the family is asking that you please share memories and stories of BrolyLegs to help show how many lives he’s touched and how he was more than a legend in his own right.
Our own John ‘Velociraptor’ Guerrero put together a message to share as well.
It’s easy to become a worse version of yourself when even the smallest inconveniences or bumps in the road come along and threaten to ruin your day. Some people live with chronic pain and inconvenience and use it as an excuse to be nasty and spit venom at people around them. Mike had a bigger excuse to be this way than most, and yet he made an active choice every day to be kind, bright, fun, and loving to most everyone around him.
I was fortunate enough to room with Mike at a major event back in the Street Fighter 4 days, and was impressed to find he wound up being the life of the party everywhere we went. Never was he a victim (in life or in Street Fighter) and instead he created an atmosphere where everyone in the room was encouraged to be a more honest and human version of themselves. I’ve shown the Cross Counter video of BrolyLegs beasting on Mike Ross to many friends and family members over the years, always with two points: “I know this guy and he’s awesome,” and “whatever your excuse is about not being able to do something… you can probably still do it.”
RIP Michael BrolyLegs Begum. I wish his family peace and I hope they know that he made a real impact on the world with his 35 years of life, and they should be proud of him forever.
Everyone at EventHubs also extends our sincere condolences to Begum’s family and friends during this extremely difficult time.
To fans of Brolylegs and the people whose lives he touched and inspired. Please take the time to share your moments and memories of this amazing person. The family wishes to continue to share his story with the world and celebrate from now til forever this amazing man. pic.twitter.com/474GsyZaKP
— BrolyFNLegs (@Brolylegs) March 19, 2024
Image source: BrolyLegs: The Fighter – Street Fighter.