Less than 24 hours before Omega Esports dipped back into action, Duane “Kelra” Pillas received heartbreaking news.
His grandmother, Viring Pillas, died peacefully in her sleep on Thursday night.
The 17-year-old gold laner, knowing that he needed to suit up in Omega Esports’ debut match against RSG PH, made sure to pour every ounce of tears on that fateful night.
By the time he got to the venue, he was all dried up.
His sadness had to take a back seat. He felt that he needed to play. Not just for his team, but for his late grandmother as well. Sitting out won’t make her proud. Playing the game and giving his all would.
He saw it as a way to honor her one last time. One. last. time.
“Syempre po kagabi umiyak po talaga ako. Ano ko po kasi yung lola ko, siya po kasi yung pinakaclose ko sa lahat ng lola ko,” Kelra recalled, fighting his tears from falling down.
“Yung naging mindset ko pagkatapos ko umiyak, inisip ko kung paano ako papasok dito sa stage, kung paano ko lalaruin yung laban namin dito sa RSG tapos basta yung problema ko na yun tinanggal ko muna bago pumunta sa stage,” he added.
Playing with a heavy heart, the reigning Best Gold Laner left it all out on the stage – leading Omega Esports to a dominant 2-0 sweep over the defending champions at the ICITE Auditorium.
Kelra delivered three kills and four assists without a death on Claude in the lopsided Game One. He then followed it up with a 6-2-6 performance in Game Two that sealed the sweep.
Omega Esports team captain Patrick “E2MAX” Caidic and technical coach Jomie “P4kbet” Abalos lauded the former MSC Most Valuable Player for the heart that he showed all throughout the win that helped the team break a five-game losing streak against RSG PH.
“Sinabi naman namin kagabi na ibigay niya yung panalo para doon sa lola niya. Tuwang tuwa naman kami kasi nangyari nga, nakita naman nating lahat yung laro niya talagang iba kaya alam ko masaya yung lola niya ngayon na napanood niya yung performance na pinakita [ng apo] niya,” said E2MAX.
“Siya ‘di naman siya nagsasabi sa amin, bigla na lang naming nalaman dahil sa status niya. Nakita namin siya malungkot siya tapos tinanong namin siya kung okay ba siya, kung kaya niya pa ba mag-laro bukas. Sabi niya ibibigay niya yung best niya bukas para sa lola niya,” echoed P4kbet.
Kelra showed up. Kelra dominated. Kelra delivered. Somewhere up there, for sure, Nanay Viring is smiling.
