Dupreeh finds success at Katowice Major despite loss of father

Astralis’ Peter “Dupreeh” Rasmussen opened up to his fans on Twitter, announcing that his father had passed away after battling cancer for eight years.

“Yesterday marked the loss of my role model and the best father one could ever wish for. My father is finally at peace. You’ll forever stay with me, and I’m happy I got to show you my world. I love you forever,” Dupreeh said.

The Counter-Strike: Global Offensive community responded with an outpouring of support as Dupreeh continues to compete in the Katowice Major with his team. He marveled at the countless thoughts and prayers he received “across teams and across nationalities.”

“I’m looking forward to playing tomorrow and most of all, to spending time with my amazing teammates and coach,” Dupreeh said after his flight landed in Katowice. The next day, Astralis defeated compLexity Gaming 16-6, and then went 16-0 against Cloud9 to end the day with a 2-0 record.

Dupreeh’s father, Michael, was known for supporting his son throughout his CS:GO journey. Fans marveled that his father got to see Dupreeh become one of the best CS:GO players in the world, including a first-place finish at FACEIT Major: London 2018.

Dupreeh’s parents recalled their son coming home from preschool and immediately starting up Counter-Strike.

“CS:GO is part of his DNA,” said his mother, Liselotte.

Before Dupreeh became a professional gamer, his father was diagnosed with chest cancer in 2010. His brother, Kasper Thomsen, recalled Dupreeh becoming very emotional at the news, crying and feeling powerless.

“It basically became a dark year for our family. It’s a year we don’t want to think about,” Dupreeh said.

His father was in and out of the hospital, and his mother had to quit her job to dedicate herself to helping her husband. The fear of losing his family caused Dupreeh’s grades to plummet, and he would often isolate himself with his computer, playing Counter-Strike.

“That’s where I could laugh with people. It also kept my mom from dark times. She could hear me laughing and having fun,” Dupreeh said.

Dupreeh and his teammates eventually started Astralis, their own esports organization based in Denmark. He’s become known for his goofy personality and positive attitude within the CS:GO community.

“To think of all he’s been through and now he stands here as a grown man who has made a career for himself, that makes me so proud as a mom,” Liselotte said.