CSGO pro MAiNLiNE passes away, former teammates pay respects

William Davis Published 08/10/2021

The North American CSGO scene has lost a top pro player.

According to statements made by his former teammates, former Counter-Strike: Global Offensive pro Michael “MAiNLiNE” Jaber has passed away. The in-game leader played a commanding role in several North American rosters including Selfless, Method, eUnited, and Enemy. In 2019, he switched to coaching where he trained Skyler “Relyks” Weaver and other aspiring pros. The region’s scene has come together through social media to recognize and respect MAiNLiNE’s impact on the game.

In August of 2019, MAiNLiNE announced through social media that he had been diagnosed with cancer. According to his close friends, the disease played a role in MAiNLiNE’s early death. Even after his diagnosis, MAiNLiNE still helped develop the NA CSGO scene. He continued to coach unsponsored squad New Identity through several qualifiers in late 2019.

Pros pay respects to MAiNLiNE

One of MAiNLiNE’s close friends and former teammates, Joel “jcrueL” Cruel, broke the unfortunate news on social media. In response, dozens of MAiNLiNE’s old teammates, coaches, friends, and rivals have mourned him on social media. MAiNLiNE was a prominent figure in the regional tier-two scene. 

Steve “Ryu” Rattacasa, who founded Selfless Gaming, reminisced about his time with MAiNLiNE on social media. He listed off dozens of fond memories. He further praised MAiNLiNE’s dedication to CSGO, calling him “the emotional rock for a team that overperformed.”

Mitch “mitch” Semago also shared his experiences with the deceased. He claims that MAiNLiNE arranged for his first-ever professional tryout. mitch is currently signed to Cloud9 Blue’s Valorant roster. He is one of many esports professionals who now carry MAiNLiNE’s legacy.

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