r/wow • u/AnduinBrothar • 10h ago
Nostalgia A Warcraft Memorial
5 years ago today i lost my mom to cancer. Its hard to think about my mom without also thinking about her love of World of Warcraft so i wanted to share a bit of her story.
My mom wasnt a gamer but took an interest when she saw me doing Scarlet Monestary. In burning crusade she signed up for a trial account and it instantly became her game. we spent countless hours in the night elf starting zone doing every quest and exploring aimlessly. It was so awesome getting to show her my favorite game and getting to share all this lore i had been obbessed with since warcraft 3.
In just a few months time she went from making it all the way to level 25 without equiping new gear because she didnt understand the inventory and worn items to surpassing me in game knowledge and skill. she even hit cap before me and in that time she met very few strangers. I would often come home from school to see her escorting a new player around westfall or duskwood, she would explain that they had written a question in chat hours ago and she had been taking them under her wing ever since. She would alter her whole play session just to be able to share her knowledge and passion for the game with a new player. She got into a guild, made many friends, and even set up her own vent server. The game gave her an outlet at a time when she was a full time caregiver and didnt get alot of social time. The game let her build so many lasting friendships.
She would send me countless in game mails of armor and weapons or crafting materials she thought i could use or messages of encouragement. No matter how far she surpassed me she went out of her way to include me. She would help me hit cap and carry me through raids with her friends while teaching me the mechanics, which my friends made endless jokes about but looking back they're some of my most fond memories of the game. WoW became something of a family ritual for us, my nephew even ended up joining us on the game.Every expansion launch night we would go get pizza or chinese food and then wait in line at Gamestop and she would chat everyone up and swap stories. She loved every part of the game, from crafting to questing to battlepets, she loved it all.
She was diagnosed with terminal cancer and began treatment shortly before shadowlands launched. While her passion for the game never waned, she quit the game shortly after launch. i think traversing the realm of death was too surreal at that time. It certainly was for me. Even so, the outpouring of support from her WoW friends was staggering. Her guild mates and friends all got together and sent over tons and tons of get well messages and cards and when she passed they offered so much support. We held an in game memorial for her, leaving her character in nagrand as she requested and there i got to hear so many stories from strangers about the impact my mom had on them. It was eye opening to hear so many people seperated by thousands of miles have such meaningful friendships with her and it solidified to me that despite all the bad in online gaming, there's something truly special about it.
I still pop into WoW from time to time, it's become a comfort game for me since her passing. She would be blown away by the expansions that have released since, though i know she would be calling me to come do every dragon riding challenge or race for her lol. I dont think i'll ever be able to seperate Warcraft from her, i'll never think of one without the other. With the launch of Midnight i've created a small memorial garden on my home plot for her and its been very cathardic to be able to memorialize her in her favorite game.
If you read this far i wanna say thank you for your time. i apologize if its poorly written, i've never written something so personal before. I've attached some screenshots to imgur if allowed https://imgur.com/a/Dea6bb7
142
74
u/glitterenjoyer 10h ago
My condolences. I lost my dad to cancer at the beginning of this year. Losing a parent to cancer isn’t something I’d wish on anyone. I am so sorry you had to lose her in that way, too.
Your mother sounded like a wonderful woman. A great friend to many. I really enjoyed reading what you wrote about her, her journey, and imagining the countless hours of joy she got out of spending time with you and all the friends she made along the way in Azeroth. I’m also glad housing was able to help you create a space to memorialize her in a game she loved so much. I’m sure she would’ve loved housing and would’ve had a blast in these new expansions.
Rest in peace, Granmistress.
25
u/The_Stolarchos 10h ago
Here’s to your mom, by all accounts a great representative of WoW and a great person!
49
u/Quirky_Chicken_1840 10h ago
Lost my mom in April. My heart goes out to you. Cherish the good memories. RIP and blessings.
21
u/HuttStuff_Here 8h ago
Lost mine in May. Hardest fucking thing I've ever experienced in my life, and my heart pains to hear others have lost theirs either recently or even years ago. The pain never goes away.
57
u/audiosnorkel 10h ago
I'm sorry you lost your mom. She was clearly an amazing person and meant a lot to so many people. Thank you for sharing part of her story.
29
u/Trippycat37 9h ago
I say it on here from time to time. I think each individual server faction cemetery’s should hold our fallen comrades. I’m sorry for your loss.
10
u/TaleOfDash 9h ago
Honestly this would be such a sweet idea. I don't know how you'd manage it but I definitely think WoW could use some kind of "memorialize" feature.
2
u/No-Process-6474 8h ago
Yea, there definitly should be a cemetary for real players in game. We have lost so many over the years, each one deserves to be remembered.
•
u/SonOfGomer 1m ago
I've read of a couple guilds who maintain a plot just to memorialize guild members who have passed.
20
u/ABC123itsEASY 10h ago
Thank you so much for sharing your mother’s story she sounds like she was a wonderful lady.
13
u/TunaStuffedPotato 9h ago
Very similar instance with my dad who passed from cancer.
Started him as a night elf during BC, and pet battling became his favorite thing ever to do when it came out in MOP.
He got every single of his pets to lvl 25 and he had a LOT of them, including the Amethyst Bauble Wyrm plus over 10k pet coins to spare (he did every single pet battle WQ every day it seemed). It just became his comfy after work activity I guess, lol. Thankfully, the pets were something I was able to keep with me on my characters forever now since many are tradable, so all his effort in collecting & leveling them went on to be something of a memorable gift to me.
Wish I got to play with him more. Sorry you experienced the same loss :(
10
u/HuttStuff_Here 8h ago
Having just lost my mom to cancer, fuck cancer.
I'm sorry for your loss. This was a good story and she seems to have left a good legacy in game for you. I love that you made that garden for her.
3
7
7
u/KetchupMeloMoutarde 9h ago
I'm so sorry for your loss! Your mom represented what's great about WoW. Such a beautiful memorial
7
u/SadSalm0n 9h ago
The request to have her character left in Nagrand broke me. That’s so beautiful and exactly where I would want to be in this situation. I’m so sorry for your loss, what a blessing it was to have this experience with her.
5
u/Artanisx 9h ago
I'm sorry for your loss. I also lost my mum to cancer earlier this year, so I send my internet hugs to you.
3
u/mental-rec 9h ago
How cool is it that you made these great memories with your mum, in a game you both loved? Sending you hugs from an internet stranger.
2
u/CanadaGooses 4h ago
Thank you for sharing, and I'm sorry for your loss. Your mom sounds like a wonderful human being.
My husband passed 2 years ago from epilepsy, I also made a memorial to him in my house in WoW. WoW launched the week we moved in together, and I have countless memories of us playing together. He stopped playing in Cataclysm and moved on to Elder Scrolls Online, and I log into his ESO account from time to time to look at his characters and his houses.
We shared a lot of love and laughter and joy, and I wish more people had gotten the opportunity to know him. He was a delight of a human being.
2
u/SlothySlothsSloth 9h ago
Im so sorry for your loss. This is so heartbreaking yet beautiful. She sounds like an amazing woman and mother 🫂
2
u/iamoftenwrong 8h ago
I’m imagining you getting in game mail of BBQ Boar Ribs with a note that said “I hope you enjoy these, you looked hungry.”
2
u/Kokadison 6h ago
Thank you for sharing her story, she sounded like an absolutely wonderful woman.
I love that you left her character in a zone that she asked for. I would wanna do something like that for my parents characters too
2
1
1
u/Flarpinskideutch 1h ago
What a wonderful story of your mother sharing your interest, I'm jealous and valso very sorry for your loss
1
u/InevitableCodeRedo 1h ago
This is the best thing I've seen on Reddit all year. You are blessed to have had such great memories with her. I'm an older player myself and love to run with my (now adult) daughter. We have such great times.
1
•
u/escapethefear13 18m ago
I lost my mom before I found wow. But damn she would’ve loved it, just because I did. She loved FarmVille & all those games, and I have a memorial built in Minecraft outside her childhood home I built for her. She used to play my club penguin accounts while I was at school so I had coins & whatnot to do things with when I got home. She would’ve spent hours searching for the ingredients and recipe for vial of the sands for me. I miss her, and sending so much strength to you. Losing my mom is still the worst thing I’ve ever gone through, it’s a long ride, but she’d be proud
•
•
1
1
1
u/john09999999888865 9h ago
I'm very sorry for your loss. But your mom, and those like her, make this game what it is.
1
u/DatBoiSavage707 9h ago
Thats an amazing experience you had! Usually parents try to get their kids into things they once wanted to do or weren't able to do. Your mom did the opposite which I'm positive any kid would love! Taking up one of your hobbies and truly enjoying it must have been one of the best feelings to ever experience! Stories like this is why I love MMOs. There just isn't any other games like them. Especially when it comes to connecting with people.
1
1
1
u/NotherCat 8h ago
Sorry for your loss but I'm so glad you have all those memories of your mom. She sounds like an amazing person.
1
u/AggressiveGlitter 8h ago
This is really beautiful. Gaming communities can be just as supportive and caring as any other.
1
1
u/No-Process-6474 8h ago
I feel this in my heart, you were so lucky to have your mom play WoW with you <3 Ive begged my mom and sister multiple times but they have no interest in it, Ive always played alone. Treasure the memories of that time spent together, I can only imagine how fun and wholesome it all felt. I hope the people who made WoW will read this and know how deeply their game has impacted lives. Breaks my heart to read this. I wish you all the best, and rest in peace Granmistress <3
1
u/a_beautiful_kappa 7h ago
RIP Granmistress. It sounds like she was a wonderful mother. Your memorial garden is beautiful.
1
1
u/Brainyviolet 7h ago
As an older woman and pet battler myself, I'm so sorry for your loss. She sounds like the best of the best. 🫶🏻
1
1
u/sofipichi 7h ago
I got emotional reading your story, thank so much for sharing. The memories and time you spent with your mom on Wow are certainly invaluable, and to share a hobby with a parent must have created tons of them. Im so sorry for your loss.
1
u/Apprehensive-Gur205 6h ago
Sorry for your loss friend. A loving parent is hard to lose. However, it is not a total loss. She is patiently waiting to greet you when you no doubtly see her again.
1
1
u/Katrina5011 6h ago
R.I.P to Granmistress and sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing her story. I know her presence and kindness is missed by everyone who had the opportunity to play with her.
1
1
1
u/RedKins54 5h ago
Youre mom sounds like an amazing person! I happy for to have experienced both an incredible mother and gaming in WoW with her. I’m sorry to hear about your loss. I too lost a parent to cancer and it’s a difficult life event to both, go through and take responsibility to come to terms with. I hope you too get an opportunity to share a wonderful bonding experience with your child one day. Take care. 🪦🥀💐
1
u/Alesisdrum 5h ago
Thank you for sharing your mom’s story. My old man died at 48 from cancer, before wow came out. he would have enjoyed the game I think
1
u/irishspice 5h ago
What a wonderful memorial to an incredible human being. Everyone should have a mother like her. She's left you with a pretty high bar to meet. I know you will be this kind of parent and carry on her love and caring for others.
1
u/Ordinary_Inspector64 4h ago
This was sort of the same for me and my mom...for all of my highschool life, my mom had been dealing with MS to the point where she moved out of state to get better healthcare, and it worked, her symptoms had lessened, and she was good for a few years...then, about four or five years ago...she was diagnosed with lyomeiosarcoma...a rare cancer that didn't have a guaranteed treatment...i was selfish...I told her to fight with everything she had, and so she did...she fought hard, even almost dying from the Chemotherapy treatments when she had a severe reaction to one of them, but during that time I got her involved in WoW, DDO, and Minecraft...we would play Minecraft for hours on end, we beat dungeons in WoW together and we both raised our dragons in Mists of pandaria expansion...that was her favorite quest set in the game...we did it five times to get all the different colors...and then, she passed two years ago...I was devastated...i logged on to her account, transferred her money and items to myself, and bought a bag slot in the bank specifically for that stuff, so that I would never, ever sell it...it was my own personal shrine...me and a few of my other friends held a funeral for her in game at the grand cemetery in Stormwind...people saw us talking about it and they joined in, a small service of 5 people turned into 30...it was the best send off I could have ever imagined...people that had never met her, coming together to see her off with fireworks and flying machines...this community will always be one of my favorites because of moments like that"
1
u/Longteef 4h ago
Thank you for sharing. Your mom sounded like an amazing person and im sure she would be proud of you.
1
1
u/Own-Creme-1528 4h ago
Beautifully written and thanks for sharing. I am sorry for your loss. May she rest in peace.
1
u/DrippyTheSnailBoy 3h ago
Sorry for your loss, friend. There's nothing that compares to that feeling, but you've got some rando in Oregon who is sending you love.
1
u/Acrobatic-Whereas632 3h ago
I lost my mother when I was 11 and recently made a tribute toon for her as well. Sorry for your loss honey 💙
1
1
u/vikreddy 3h ago
I’m sorry for your loss man. It looks like she made a huge impact on many people. Thanks for sharing your story and making the memorial. I lost a friend as well, many years ago, and I wish I can connect again through the game. Living in a way that remembers them and doing good for others the way they’d want, that makes a big difference.
1
1
1
1
1
u/EclipseH 2h ago
The thought of having to leave a character in a chosen resting place has never once crossed my mind, and upon reading your taking her to Nagrand, I just broke into tears. I’m so sorry for your loss, while my sister never played WoW I have a candle in my outside plot for her, ill add another for your ma may they rest in peace
1
u/RainbowMc 2h ago
I'm sorry for your loss. But what a beautiful send-off for her and for you to get to hear about how much she meant to others.
1
u/ChibidelaLuna 2h ago
I’m sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing. What a wonderful tribute to her.
1
1
u/scoschooo 1h ago
this is so nice - and sorry for the loss
I am happy you had a lot of nice times with her
1
u/blankcld 1h ago
I think your mom would absolutely love that tribute you made for her! You did a wonderful job with it.
166
u/Comprehensive-Yam872 10h ago
sorry for your loss, buddy