From Berkeley to Stockholm

How did you first get involved in Extra Life?

I heard about it from a friend—this was about 12 or 13 years ago. A friend of mine posted on Facebook that they were doing a 24-hour gaming stream for charity, and I thought, “That sounds fun. I bet I could do that.” Honestly, I got into it for the simplest of reasons: It sounded fun. And it was.

I set a modest goal of $1,000 and ended up raising $2,500. That very much surprised me. I thought, “Huh. Maybe I’ve really got something here.”

What made you want to stick with it?

It was an event called Extra Life United, where Extra Life brings participants together one a year. In the event’s first year, they invited 50 people from 50 hospitals, and somehow, I was asked to represent California. I still think that was probably a clerical error, but I said yes.

That event was a turning point for me. It was the first time I met people who worked with UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals — and some of the kids and families who rely on them. You'd have to be made of stone to not immediately be attached to the cause at that point. It really brought into focus what this effort means. Yeah, it’s fun, but it makes a very real-world difference.

And now you’ve hit the $100,000 mark. How does that feel? 

It’s honestly hard to wrap my head around. I don’t know what I did to deserve such generosity. I’m not a Twitch celebrity or anyone famous in gaming. I just keep talking about the cause. 

Every so often, something incredible happens. A few years ago, I had just finished my stream and was short of my $10,000 goal when an anonymous $2,000 donation came in out of nowhere. I sent a thank-you note through the site, and the person wrote back. They told me they’d been directly helped by UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals and wanted to pay it forward. You never know who this cause is going to touch. 

What makes UCSF Benioff Hospitals special to you? 

Part of it is simple—it’s my hometown hospital. I grew up in Berkeley, and when you pick a hospital for Extra Life, why not start in your own backyard? 

But over the years, I’ve seen what makes UCSF special. I remember visiting the Oakland campus and learning about how they take care of not just the kids but the families, too. They even have quiet rooms where parents can rest and charge their phones. That level of care really struck me. Health isn’t just about sustaining the body. Someone has to take care of the parents so they can be there for their kids. 

What’s a 24-hour stream like for you? 

I play the games I’m excited about, because if you’re having fun, the audience is having fun. I do a mix of video games and tabletop games like Pathfinder or Starfinder. In one Starfinder game, the audience could donate to trigger traps for the players in exchange for donations. That worked out really well. 

I also have traditions. If I hit a certain donation level, I’ll take an hour of the stream to eat questionable Swedish food live on camera. There’s a clip of me trying Swedish caviar from a toothpaste tube. It was vile. People found that hilarious. 

How does streaming from Sweden work with your audience back home? 

It actually helps. When I start my stream at 8 a.m. here, it’s the middle of the night in California, so I have my European friends watching. Then when evening hits in Stockholm, my U.S. audience is just waking up. So now I've got an audience to sustain me in the middle of the night — I strongly recommend getting an international audience if you can manage it! 

And it will never cease to impress me just how many of my friends in Sweden—many of whom will never benefit directly from UCSF—still donate. Supporting children’s hospitals is a universal cause. Everyone understands the value in that.