Former Smash Bros. champ ZeRo hospitalized for suicide attempt

Olivia Richman Published 26/03/2021

Former Super Smash Bros. pro player Gonzalo “ZeRo” Barrios attempted suicide on Tuesday. He has now been hospitalized and is said to be recovering, although not much else is known about his condition.

ZeRo’s ex-girlfriend Venessa shared the update on Twitter, stating that she will “always love [him]” even if they aren’t together. She also prayed for him to “see the light.”

On 3/23 Gonzalo attempted suicide. after being treated in the hospital he was sent in for further care. Humans are more than their mistakes, especially when they’ve put out more good into this world. I’ll always love u even if we’re not together & I’ll pray that u see the light???? pic.twitter.com/z2C83wH8nV
— vanessa (@healinghalos) March 25, 2021

ZeRo stepped away from Smash Bros. in 2020 after allegations surfaced that he had sent inappropriate messages to minors when he was 19. At the time, ZeRo offered an apology.

“I should have known, I should have seen it, I should have recognized it… That’s what I think about this morning. I think it’s important for me to make a statement because, in my opinion, being quiet about this is an awful thing. I’m sorry if the way I write this is strange, I’m very distressed over this,” ZeRo said.

This wasn’t enough for many in the Smash community. An artist known as Jisu accused ZeRo of “playing innocent” when he had purposely done predatory things throughout their time together. This included harassing them at Sky House and showing them hentai against their will.

While a lot of ZeRo’s fans argued that he was just young and made a mistake at the time, Twitch banned his account. ZeRo was also booted from his team, Tempo Storm. From there, ZeRo was shunned from the Smash community. Many fans shared memes about ZeRo’s behavior and appearance until the drama died down.

It’s unclear what exactly led to ZeRo’s attempted suicide, but Venessa hinted that it was the Smash community’s “cancel culture” that led him to feeling this way.

“Humans are more than their mistakes,” Venessa tweeted, “especially when they’ve put so much good into this world.”

In response, the Smash community has started discussing ZeRo’s actions once again. While some feel what he did wasn’t worth being “canceled,” others said the community shouldn’t pity an alleged pedophile and harasser.

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. It’s available 24 hours in English and Spanish. 800-237-8255.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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