“Facing the End: He Chooses to Spend His Final Weeks Battling Demons in Doom”

How would you choose to spend your final days? Many might think of savoring their favorite meals or saying goodbye to loved ones. But one dedicated gamer has a different plan: to relish the thrill of landing perfect headshots. Few games deliver that experience quite like the 2016 reboot of Doom from id Software.

At the end of January, a Reddit user known as Wanderingreader123 shared a poignant thread detailing his fight against Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. He revealed that he had been battling cancer since 2022, but his condition took a turn for the worse in 2026.

“I never imagined I would find myself in a situation where my life expectancy has dwindled to possibly just weeks,” Wanderingreader123 shared.

Currently receiving hospice care in Toronto, the staff offered to accommodate any requests to enhance his comfort. Reflecting on his decade-long love for the Doom franchise, he recalled how these first-person shooters helped him through difficult times. He had been eagerly anticipating Doom: The Dark Ages, the sequel to the acclaimed Doom Eternal, but financial constraints kept him from playing it.

“Money issues got in the way, and I held onto the hope that I would get to play the game one day, among others,” he said.

“I’ve been a Doom fan since 2016, and it has helped me through some tough times,” he continued. “I’ve played through both the Reboot and Eternal (along with its DLCs), and I have nothing but great memories pouring all my attention into the world of Doom.”

Understanding how much this meant to him, his caretakers went the extra mile. They arranged for a PS5 and a portable setup, allowing him to dive into the action from the comfort of his bed. In his Reddit post, Wanderingreader123 shared a photo of himself grinning as he loaded up for another round of demon-slaying. Just days ago, he had fought his way through to chapter 4 of the game.

Word of Wanderingreader123’s story reached id Software, prompting Hugo Martin, a director for several Doom titles, to express gratitude for his steadfast support.

“I tell the team all the time, people care about our games, and we have to put the same amount of care into making them,” Martin wrote. “It has been the honor of our professional lives to create these past three games for fans like you. To make the Slayer feel STRONG in DOOM, we infuse him with all the attributes of a true old-school hero: we give him strength, courage, and heart… we make him like you. RIP AND TEAR, my friend. You are the real Slayer.”

While Wanderingreader123 and the studio have not publicly commented further, they have been in touch behind the scenes. Responses on Reddit suggest that id Software is eager to do as much as possible for him. With new content set to drop for Doom: The Dark Ages on May 15, there’s still something for him to look forward to.

“I feel nothing but childish glee as I return to my roots as a badass Demon Slayer,” he said. “I may not live to see the upcoming DLC, but I’m nonetheless thrilled to finally play the game in my own hands.”