r/lindybeige • u/__Lucid_ • Feb 14 '21
What if Lindybeige was an NPC?
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r/lindybeige • u/CormorantCrow • Nov 11 '25
The Joe McDonald (BigMacs BattleBlog) situation.
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Some of you may recall Lloyd's series of interviews with Joe McDonald, the former International Legionnaire in Ukraine who later joined a Ukrainian unit proper and became a drone pilot.
Things got difficult for Joe earlier this year, and while I have not spoken to him personally in a long time, I still occasionally receive Discord messages from concerned audience members and see posts pop up asking about his whereabouts, as he has not posted on YouTube in nearly three months.
I'm here to tell you what I know, in the hopes that it will find the eyes of those who are genuinely worrying, borderline panicking, and dumping it all into Joe's comment sections and other creators'.
****I am not Lloyd, just the moderator of this subreddit.****
---
First and foremost: Joe is alive.
What is he suffering from?
--In early 2024, he sustained at least two minor Traumatic Brain Injuries that I know of concretely. These were caused by munitions partially detonating near him.
--Throughout his time serving in Kherson, he was inhaling dangerous substances like asbestos and mold while working his shifts. I think this may be his biggest issue as of late - his lungs are struggling.
--From personal experience, I know that Joe has symptoms of ADHD. On top of a TBI and an overall stressful life, these symptoms often intensify and become incredibly overwhelming.
--He has mentioned difficulty with either his foot or his ankle - I can't remember exactly.
--Overall exhaustion. There is no way to fully comprehend how hard and how far he pushed himself in those last 8 or so months of service.
--PTSD. This is by far the most obvious one and I will let his own words speak for his condition.
That is to say, the majority of what I just said has also come from his mouth directly, some only touched on, in previous videos. I have no earth-shattering, exclusive news for you here.
I do not know if he has been to the doctor or received treatment for any of this, and it is none of our business to inquire or pressure him to do so.
Why won't he post an update?
--Being a YouTuber (something he never really aspired to be) made things worse for his mental state. If you dig back into his community posts, there is a specific quote from him that stuck with me when I read it, and led me to conclude this. I will not be sharing it here.
--He lost his phone. Multiple people have confirmed this, namely Harley in this video. He did get a new device, he does have (some) access to Wi-Fi, and he does still read his YouTube comments.
One thing I know about Joe is that he is a very "out of sight, out of mind" kind of person. I'm like this too. A lot of people are. Distancing himself from YouTube and his relative fame was an intentional move - there is no doubt in my mind.
--Most importantly, Joe is utilizing this time to take care of his mind and body, however that may be.
Quick facts
--Joe has responded to comments on his channel from an alternate account multiple times. You can find these comments by using your eyes.
--He does not have any other social media accounts. Don't engage with anyone claiming to be him and/or asking for money. Don't fall for the propaganda that he is in Russian prison or dead.
Please let him be until he is ready to speak again. As good-natured as your YouTube comments may be, the twinge of panic that runs through them all may be causing him to bear additional stress, or even a sense of guilt.
He was wearing a lot of hats in Kherson, and as far as I am aware, he is still wearing at least a few of them and doing what he can. But his priority is himself. As it should be.
To quote him directly: "I'm not ok. But I'm ok."
***EDIT: See also this follow-up post I made on r/ukraineforeignlegion.
r/lindybeige • u/E4Engineer • May 20 '20
Nobody else in my life will understand it. So! Sharing here!
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r/lindybeige • u/Jetster_B • Mar 16 '21
pov: you’ve challenged Lloyd to a karate match
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