s1mple gifts custom mousepad to physically handicapped CSGO fan

By Nick Johnson

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Jun 27, 2020

Reading time: 2 min

Natus Vincere’s Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev surprised one of his fans with a very special gift.

A video of s1mple gifting Polish streamer Marcin “Kofin45” Bielaczuk a custom mousepad emblazoned with s1mple’s own Cache graffiti was posted to Twitter, cementing s1mple as one of the most gracious CSGO pros out there today.

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“Hey Kofin, I hope you’re enjoying [the game], and I want to gift you my own custom mousepad with its legendary graphics,” s1mple said in the video.

It’s a touching gesture for a streamer that has had more trouble than most gamers. Kofin45 suffers from spinal muscular atrophy, a genetic disorder that makes precise movement difficult. But this hasn’t stopped Kofin45 from becoming a celebrity in the Polish Twitch community. Kofin45 currently has over 9,000 followers on the streaming platform, where he plays everything from first-person shooters like Counter-Strike and Valorant to racing games such as Formula 1 Racing.

s1mple has grown into one of CSGO’s best role models

The mousepad itself is one that any CSGO fan would love to have. Emblazoned with the Na`Vi logo, the mousepad’s most attractive feature is the copy of s1mple’s Cache graffiti, awarded to him after one of the most famous plays in CSGO history. During Team Liquid’s matchup against fnatic at ESL One Cologne 2016, s1mple managed a one versus two clutch in a play that has gone down in Counter-Strike history.

Although s1mple would leave TL after the conclusion of the Cologne event, the graffiti remains a symbol of a player that refuses to give up no matter the odds he faces. It is fitting then that Kofin, who has to use two mice and a trackpad to play games due to his disorder, will now sit his mice on a very special copy of the artwork. Since s1mple’s heroics in Cologne, the formerly toxic player has turned things around. From votekicking a player with a racist slur in his name out of a matchmaking game to his general helpful attitude on his personal Twitch stream, s1mple has shown a willingness to do and be better.

Fans can check out Kofin45’s Twitch channel here, and catch s1mple when Natus Vincere takes the winner of Virtus.pro and Team Spirit in the WePlay! Clutch Island grand finals on Sunday, June 28.