A Friend, A Diplomat, A Gamer

My friend and colleague was killed yesterday in the attack on the US consulate in Libya. Only after reading some articles online did I realize how much of an avid gamer he was and how many people in the gaming community were affected by his death. While his deal was MMORPG's, namely Eve Online, I still feel a deep gaming kinship as well as professional one.

I was a mentor of sorts to him professionally when we were both posted at the US Mission to Canada: He was at the consulate in Montreal, and I at the embassy in Ottawa, back in 2008-2010. He was quite enthusiastic about Eve, but I put it in the same boat as WoW and other MMORPG's that I've seen as nothing but time & money sinks. It wasn't until I read how the Eve community has reacted to his death that I realized what a tight-knit and respectful community it seems to be.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/murdered-state-department-official-sean-smith-influential-online-185547152.html

http://dailycaller.com/2012/09/12/us-official-sean-smith-murdered-in-libya-was-a-husband-popular-online-gamer

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/american-diplomat-sean-smith-killed-libya-protests-mourned-eve-online-gaming-community-article-1.1157600

Rest In Peace, Sean Smith.

I had no idea. It was a tragedy either way but the news tends not to report on games. It is a shame he was not able to see the integration of Dust 514 into Eve. As you said, may he rest in peace.

Edit: no idea he was a gamer

You can get the story here

Sorry to hear that, it's never fair.

My condolences, @Liquor, our thoughts are with him and his family and the others we lost in Libya.

<3 V

There is another thread already up about Sean Smith. People have been talking there, here is the link if you want to check it out. http://www.giantbomb.com/forums/eve-online/337/sean-smith-aka-vile-rat-killed-in-benghazi/560202/

Such a tragedy. RIP.