A YouTube star is channelling the grief of losing his friend and idol to help beat childhood cancer.
Gaming streamer TommyInnit, whose real name is Tom Simons, will be fronting the UK’s first charity-led livestream fundraiser for Great Ormond Street Hospital (Gosh) Charity on Saturday October 18.
Simons, 21, was inspired to support Gosh Charity after the “completely unthinkable” loss of fellow Minecraft streamer Technoblade, who died of cancer aged 23.
“Technoblade was everything I wanted to be,” he told the PA news agency.
“I was a huge fan of his and I kind of annoyed him so much until I became his friend, bugging him and being an excited kid.
“And we became really, really good mates. And he was someone I idolised and respected and loved really.
“When all that stuff happened, it was just completely unthinkable.”
“I’ve had a drive and ambition to do anything positive with that grief-fuelled energy that I can and turn it into something good,” he said.
“Even in the worst case scenario with cancer, for people who are struggling, you can band together and help each other and find something real in all of this.”
Simons, who grew up in Nottingham but now lives in Brighton, has been open about his own mental health struggles, with Technoblade’s death in 2022 playing a significant role.
“I don’t sugarcoat it online. I’m anxious and I have depression. It’s a struggle every day. I definitely think losing Techno has been a big part of that.”
He hopes the livestream event will be an opportunity for people to come together in a world where “everyone’s connected and yet so disconnected”.
He said: “I see a lot of these kids who are watching me and they’re struggling too, and it’s deeply important for me to try and work as hard as I can to honour the responsibility I have.”
A “moving” recent visit to Gosh gave Simons the opportunity to chat and play with children affected by illness.
One child said Technoblade was their favourite YouTuber and Simons said he was touched, adding that it was important that they had idols who have “been through the same thing”.
He said young people often tell him how much they miss Technoblade: “My community is grieving as much as I am.”
Simons added: “This is a generation of young people that are in great pain about this.”
He told PA he was “over the moon” to be asked to work with Gosh Charity, adding: “We’re going to raise some money and have fun and keep living for him.”
The interactive livestream, a whodunnit-style mystery called The Curious Case of the Copper Key, will see Simons joined by fellow content creators such as YouTubers MatPat (formerly of the Game Theorists) and Keith Habersberger (Try Guys).
Viewer donations can help to reveal clues to solve the case, with the final piece of information disclosed after £150,000 has been raised.
“People at Great Ormond Street have done this amazing job of setting up this whole world where the audience can be involved as detectives and it’s quite a special thing really,” he said.
The funds raised will support Gosh Charity’s Build It. Beat It. campaign, which is seeking £300 million to create a new children’s cancer centre.
The centre will enable the hospital to treat a fifth (20%) more patients, and includes new operating theatres and a new and improved hospital school.
Sarah Bissell, deputy director of relationship fundraising at Gosh Charity, said: “It’s crucial that we raise as much money as we can to help build the future of children’s cancer care.
“We are looking forward to reaching Tommy’s fans and puzzlers with this fresh, exciting and inspiring format.”
– The Curious Case of the Copper Key will stream live from 5pm on Saturday October 18. To tune in, visit tommydetective.com and help to raise vital funds to build the Children’s Cancer Centre at Gosh.
