Martin “Rekkles” Larsson, the legendary Swedish LoL player, opened up about an intimate aspect of his life: his autism diagnosis. In a moment of sincerity during a Twitch stream on Caedrel’s channel, Martin “Rekkles” Larsson shared this intimate aspect of his life: his autism diagnosis. During the conversation,
the League of Legends veteran opened his heart to discuss how this revelation influenced his personal and professional life.
Initial Reaction and Growth
Speaking about his initial reaction upon receiving the diagnosis, he expressed, “My first impression was that my life was ruined.” However, his perception drastically changed as he began to better understand his condition: “After the diagnosis, my life significantly improved.”
Impact on Esports Career
Describing how autism impacted his esports career, he shared insights into his success at Fnatic, the club where he is an idol, and the challenges he faced when changing teams: “I understand why I was successful at Fnatic… but frequent team changes were not ideal for someone like me.”
Daily Challenges and Coping Mechanisms
Exploring the everyday challenges of living with autism, he illustrated how unexpected changes could trigger anxiety: “If something bad happened, I couldn’t just let it go.” This analogy with a PC’s operating system failure shed light on the overwhelming nature of such situations for him.
However, he also emphasized the importance of communication and self-acceptance in his journey towards a more balanced life: “The key was in communicating with those around me… Accepting that this was a part of me and learning to express my needs effectively.”
Advocacy and Awareness
In addition to revealing his own personal journey, Rekkles took the opportunity to raise awareness about autism and advocate for greater understanding and acceptance.
“I hope everyone watching can overlook that and really think twice about what it really is,” he stated with conviction. “It’s really about understanding things that are a little different from others and helping with tools, how to make my life better.”
Rekkles’ Journey: Raising Awareness and Advocacy for Autism in Gaming
Ultimately, he expressed gratitude for the support he received, especially from his current team, T1 Academy. His experience demonstrates the importance of understanding, empathy, and communication in supporting individuals with autism in their quest for a fulfilling life.
Rekkles’ openness, given his reach, will surely greatly contribute to raising awareness of this disorder in the gaming and esports industry.