While NRG might have a trophy, everyone who partook in last weekend’s David’s Cup is a winner, with organizer Nouns Esports and the Counter-Strike 2 community banding together to raise over $10,000 in the memory of the late David “cynic” Polster.
The community raised $12,640 during David’s Cup for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), smashing Nouns’ original $5,000 target. “Thank you to all the production, talent, and people who made this event possible: Us at nouns can’t thank you enough for making this happen and honoring David and his life,” the org said in a May 12 tweet.
The original goal was smashed on the opening day alone, with over $8,700 raised on May 11. Fans from far and wide gathered to contribute to the cause, while numerous North American CS2 orgs took part in the event itself, with NRG winning the final 2-0 over Take Flyte to win the event. “Thank you to everyone who donated to this great cause that isn’t talked about enough,” NRG’s Jadan “HexT” Postma said after the win.
The event was held in memory of cynic, a CS2 player who tragically died in January at the age of 24. Following his death, Apeks player STYKO announced he would donate a share of the sticker money he earned from the PGL Copenhagen Major to cynic’s family as well as the Twisten Foundation, named for the late VALORANT pro Karel “Twisten” Ašenbrener who passed in 2023.
Money raised from Nouns’ David’s Cup will go directly to NAMI, an American not-for-profit organization formed in 1979 that is a “grassroots collective of over 600 local affiliates” and works to raise awareness, provide support, and educate the community about mental health. Outside of direct donations, numerous teams and players listed signed jerseys and memorabilia as prizes for further donating to the cause.
Donations for cynic, David’s Cup, and NAMI remain open here.
