KRU Esports Daveeys (real name Santiago Ruiz) died on 3rd September 2023, a day after celebrating his 23rd birthday. Daveeys joined KRU in October 2022, helping the team qualify for VALORANT Champions via the VCT Americas Last Chance Qualifier. Despite KRU’s poor performance at the tournament, few doubted Daveeys’ playing ability. 

Daveeys reportedly died due to decompensation, a failure of multiple systems sometimes caused by heart failure

KRU announced on 4th September 2023 that Daveeys died ‘after suffering a medical issue’. Further reports alleged that Daveeys died due to decompensation, a condition sometimes caused by heart failure. 

Compensation describes a process in which your body adapts to defects and stressors, for example, heart failure. To make up for underperformance, for instance, your heart muscles thicken to pump with more force. 

Unfortunately, an enlarged heart leads to fluid buildup in parts of your body due to the compromised blood movement from the heart. This failure of a compensated system is known as decompensation. It’s unclear what underlying condition caused Daveeys’ decompensation. The term is used in medicine to describe various situations. 

The gaming community united to mourn a beloved and talented Esports player. “There is no way to soften this, it took us all by surprise. Daveeys was a spectacular player and a first-class teammate,” KRU Esports tweeted. The team asked fans to support Daveeys’ friends and family during this challenging time. His funeral will take place on 5th September 2023 in Colombia. 

The Spanish Valorant account tweeted: “Santiago was a passionate Valorant player who always left a positive impression on his team and his opponents. His determination to improve and his sportsmanship were exemplary, and many admired him not only because of his skills, but also because of his kind and friendly nature. Rest in peace, Santiago.”