Kind, funny, brilliant. Kicked my ass in Rocket League so bad that it probably wasn't fun for him. What a person. Sorely, sorely missed.

I am saddened to hear about Kevin's death. It was an honor to provide care for him here at Sugar Land. He was an amazing young man who accomplished much in his life. The world is a lesser place without him in it.
Joan ONN
Houston Methodist Sugar Land Neal Cancer Center

Our dearest Kevin,                                          no words can express the sadness we feel in saying goodbye to you. Your time with us was far too short, yet you filled our lives with love, joy, and pride. You were warm-hearted, gifted, and full of light—your music, your laughter, and your kindness touched us all in ways we will never forget.

We will miss you dearly but your memory will live on in our hearts and in the countless moments we were blessed to share with you. You will always be loved.

Gu nainai & Gu yeye, and Zhen family

Just a few photos Kevin and I took on our little trips around Chicago. We usually would hang out at his apartment or online but on occasion we would do little day trips to go see the city. I miss listening to him practice the piano, poorly recreating recipes with him and laughing it off as Chicago style. He was a dear friend who always cared so much about the people around him. I will always remember him.

To Kevin's parents, brother, family, and friends,

The celebration of life highlighted so many of Kevin's achievements and talents, so I won't add any more of Kevin's superhuman powers. I do want to compliment and applaud the parents and family and community that have raised and supported such a patient, kind, and generous human. Seeing Kevin bringing people together in many ways is a testament to his character and humanity. Please take care of yourselves and each other. 

Gerlin

Kevin，作為你唯一的姑姑，之前我們從沒有機會面對面交談，沒想到這次和你卻是以這種方式話別。每次見到你都是在你爸媽家，你言語不多，人很懂事。

我相信精神永存，雖然在人世中的緣份結束，我祝福你在更好的境界中快樂，幸福。

Yiyan and family,
Kevin was an exceptional young man whose many achievements in life are the reflection of your love and care for him.
He will for ever remain in our memory and prayers.
Please receive our sincere sympathy, and support.

Carlos Abad and family

All of my favorite memories of Kevin involve him sharing from his wealth of broad and impressively random knowledge. I remember watching Snowpiercer in the common room of 52 Harpswell at Bowdoin (because he was shocked so many of us hadn't seen it) while he interjected to talk about the filmmaking and social commentary. I remember our group video calls where he'd pivot from explaining economic concerns to arguing why Jon Bois had the best Twitter account. He's answered many a question of mine and also taught me about things I didn't realize existed. It's an accomplishment to be the smartest person in the room, but it's even more of an accomplishment, I think, to be generous with that knowledge. To consistently invite other people to share in that knowledge with you. In the time that I've known him Kevin has always been both of those things- very bright and very generous- and I think everyone who's been in his orbit can agree that we're all richer for it. I'll always be grateful for the conversations we had, everything he shared, and all the fun that came (and will continue to come) from it all.

亲爱的凯文弟弟
我永远记得第一次见你的时候，冬天在北京，我回家，进屋就看到一个小小的眼睛亮亮的你躺在床上，不吵不闹，当然也没睡觉。 从那之后我知道生活中多了个凯文弟弟，记忆中你长得很快，学得也很快，夏天的时候就可以走路了。 我永远记得我躲在小屋哭的时候，你搬着小凳子走过来，踩在小凳子上，皱着小眉头，伸着小手，去摸我脸上的眼泪…
时光飞逝，你一路成长，一直从姑姑和奶奶那里听到你的各种消息，成绩优异，才能出众。 直到你某个暑假在北京的公司实习。 我们约好你下班后在地铁站等我，我们一起回奶奶家。 那个夏天我们一起躲在空调屋里熬夜看地狱厨房，看你玩巫师3… 我开玩笑的问你，要不要邀请我去美国玩，住你家你还要当地陪。 然后你说，哦，很欢迎你，但你还是要自己出钱的。 哈哈哈，可到现在我也还是没去美国…
我的记忆里你很喜欢老虎造型，小虎头枕，所以，即便你工作后我们没有联系，但我依然惯性的在看到，好看的老虎元素的东西时，会想起你，会想买给你。 虽然没有机会当面给你，但还是在姑姑回来的时候，厚着脸皮让她帮忙把最好看的虎头冰墩墩带给你。
你日益成长，我们也逐渐老去… 以前总觉得日子还长，时间有的是，我们总会再见面，从没想过某一次的再见会成为永别… 我相信，逝者通过生者的记忆获得永生，我会永远记得你，直到再次与你相见。

Kevin was one of the best students I had in my 23 years in the Computer Science department at Bowdoin. Not just I-have-the-answer smart, but a thoughtful, probing intelligence. Yet, Kevin was so modest that when I first encountered him in my classes, it took me a while to realize how smart he was. And this talent and modesty extended to other areas of his life. I still remember a conversation we had in the CS lab. That was when I discovered that Kevin was an incredibly talented pianist. Some people would have made a point of telling me as soon as possible after they met me, but I had known Kevin for at least a year before I found out, and it was just in passing, as if it was hardly worth mentioning. Kevin wasn’t just a great student I had in a couple of classes. Kevin was a great person I knew. It saddens me to know that he has left this world.

This picture is from when a couple of the multivar kids decided to go and try killens bbq over in pearland on one of our college breaks. Kevin always said that this was one of his favorites ❤️ I wish I took more selfies with Kevin, but they seem lost in the void of random snap chats I’ve taken that have disappeared - I’m so thankful to have known Kevin. You inspire me to be a better version of myself.

Sep 2021 - Kevin, Tom and I (Ian) meetup at Kevin's place in Chicago with 1 goal - to make Gnocchi! We ventured over to CostCo, loaded up on all the supplies we needed, and then got to work. Let me tell you, gnocchi is no easy task. We spent hours laboring to make these small little doughy potato balls of deliciousness, but we remained in high spirits by listening to music and enjoying each other's company. Eventually we realize that we need to make the sauce, we start cooking down some tomatoes, but we quickly realize that tomatoes are going to take FOREVER to cook down! Luckily Kevin whips open a drawer and reveals a plentiful supply of Costco tomato sauce waiting for us. We cook that up, toss everything together, and enjoy a delicious, hard-earned meal on a nice Saturday evening. 

Photos above are taken by Kevin

Yiyan,

My family and I offer our deepest condolences. I never met Kevin, but I heard you talk about him often. We will include him in our prayers. Let me know if I can do anything.

Brett Cardwell and  family

Kevin,

You were a fountain of knowledge, creativity, and empathy. I reminisce fondly of our adventures between Houston and SF, memories which are woven together with ample laughter and learnings across regular Discord voice chats with friends. 

I’ve been inspired by your unabashed pursuit for all that sparked your interest — thank you for sharing that enjoyment with me and so many others. From music to games to art, there will continue to be many moments that’ll remind me of you!

On behalf of our entire staff, we would like to extend our deepest condolences to your family during this incredibly difficult time. It was truly an honor to care for such an extraordinary young man. Kevin was like family to us, and we cared for him deeply.

We also had the privilege of getting to know the rest of the Chen family, and it was abundantly clear how much Kevin meant to all of you. The strength and perseverance he displayed during the most challenging moments of his life were deeply inspiring—fueled by the unwavering love and support he received from those around him.

Kevin faced and overcame some of the most impossible circumstances with courage and grace, and witnessing that was a profound experience for all of us as healthcare professionals.

We are also immensely grateful for the support your family gave to our team, which enabled us to provide Kevin with the care and dignity he deserved.

Kevin and the entire Chen family will always hold a special place in our hearts. While we care for many patients, Kevin’s memory will remain with us always. He will never be forgotten.

大爷, 大姨，and Allen, 

It’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other, and I really wish we could’ve been closer during that time. Kevin was always someone I looked up to growing up, and that hasn’t changed over the years. Throughout my academic journey, I’ve constantly strived to follow in his footsteps, though I have to admit my SAT score didn’t even come close. He’s continued to be an inspiration to me as I find my way into adulthood, and his many successes still push me to work harder. 
I’ll always remember the summers I spent in China and how excited I was when I found out my cousins were coming. Kevin’s taste in music was unmatched and I’ll never forget him introducing me to Linkin Park and Eminem. While many knew him for his talent on the piano, I’ll always associate him with the moment I first discovered rock and rap.
This summer, I’m returning to China for the first time in over a decade, and I’ll be carrying those memories with me. I’m so deeply sorry for the loss you’re going through right now, and I hope we’ll have the chance to see each other again soon.

I’m sorry to hear that you passed, and I wish I had known. I hope you got a chance to play Deltarune. I enjoyed meeting you at MHacks, wish I had a chance to know you better.

It's so hard to process Kevin's passing. I had him in my classes back in 2017 and 2018, and I still remember what an amazing student and above all an extraordinary human being he was. Kevin was super smart but also very humble, mathy but also artsy, serious but also generous. I wish I could have another Kevin Chen in my class.

Attached are two class photos with Kevin.

Prof. Mohammad Irfan
Computer Science, Bowdoin

I met Kevin through mutual friends who I played Among Us with during covid. This was when he was living in Chicago and as covid restrictions started to lift we started to do group hang outs in the city. One day, my brother, a friend, and I went over to Kevin's apartment to help him put up his Nanoleaf lights and just chat. We talked about music and his experience playing piano. It was nice to be able to see Kevin playing the piano casually and to hear some of the pieces he was working on. He even showed me how to play a little bit. You could never have a dull conversation with Kevin, no matter what subject. He would always have some interesting fact you'd never heard of or he would ask insightful questions. Kevin was one of the smartest people I have ever known and also one of the kindest. I'm so glad I had the chance to spend the time with him that I did.

I feel a bit like a stranger commenting here because I'm just someone online who played in his tournaments and knew him from his stream but I wanna thank him for making it happen. I am a competitive person and without him, the scene we have might have never been the same. I can say he will be remembered there as well and if anything, I hope that can make him smile to know he made a difference for a few nerds all over the world.

So glad we reconnected Kevin, I wish it wasn't so brief. Your empathy was crucial while your intellect was inspiring. Wouldn't be where I am today without you. Rest easy friend.

🌹 In Loving Memory of Kevin

When we first came to the United States and joined a family gathering, we saw you as a lovely little boy, full of energy and curiosity. Your laughter still echoes in our hearts, and we will never forget the moment you playfully shouted “marshmallow,” bringing smiles to everyone around you.

Through the years, we watched you grow with dedication and determination. Your outstanding achievements in study and work made your parents proud beyond words. We remember their joy when you were admitted to Bowdoin College, and later as you began building a promising career. You were not only their pride, but also an inspiration to us all.

When cancer struck, you faced it with remarkable courage and grace. Even the simplest daily routines required immense effort, yet you never gave up. With your loving parents by your side, you fought bravely against the cruel illness, showing strength that moved us profoundly.

Kevin, your kindness, your spirit, and the love you gave to family and friends will remain forever in our hearts. You will be deeply missed, but never forgotten. We honor the devotion of your parents, who gave their all and never left your side throughout this journey.

With love and deepest sympathy,
Baojian and Weihua

Dear Yiyan,
We are deeply saddened to hear the news about Kevin.  Our sincere condolences to you and your family!  May his soul rest in peace.

Bala and Archana

Your love for Kevin and his precious memories will forever be held within your hearts.

My deep felt sorrow for your loss

Steve Young

Kevin was an incredibly smart and talented person, with a natural gift for math and music. Some of my earliest and fondest memories are of the times we spent together as kids, such as crabbing together with our families. These moments will always stay with me.

On behalf of the Zhou family, our thoughts are with your family during this difficult time.

Hi Kevin,

Some of my fondest memories are from our shared time in middle and high school, competing in math contests and sharing classes. Even now I'm still impressed with how quick you were with Number Sense and Calculator back when we competed in TMSCA. 

While we didn't have the chance to reconnect since those times, I'll always remember your sense of humor and personality, especially online. Thank you for being a wonderful friend through those years and adding color to my school life.

I am so so glad to have met you, and that we shared a childhood together. And please know that I'll always think of you when I see a Dreamurr character or Ralsei.

-Alex

I am at a loss for words to describe how you have impacted the lives of those you knew. You were a great friend who loved with devotion and acts of kindness. Everyone who knew you holds you in their hearts with so much love. You were always there to help a friend and never to judge when someone was in need. You were so fiercely intelligent and so very talented in everything you did.  
You did not hesitate to fly half way across the world to attend the wedding of your internet friends, and truly made it a wonderful experience. You lit up on the island and tried things that tested your fears, you adventured and explored with friends. 
We will all miss you.
May you rest in peace Zephyr, and may your family find some comfort in the words of those you loved and those who loved you.

Our dear Kevin,

We can’t believe we are saying goodbye to you at just 27 years old. It feels impossible, and our hearts aches with the weight of losing you. We still remember the day we picked you up from the airport when you were only a year and a half old—playing with ping pong balls on the floor when we came to visit and your laughter filling the room.

You were so talented in so many ways—the smartest boy we have ever known. We loved listening to you play the piano and were always amazed by how quickly you could do mental math. Every Lunar New Year, we gathered to feast together, and those memories will stay in our hearts forever.

Kevin, you left us far too soon, but the love, pride, and memories you gave us will never fade.

With all our hearts and love,

Auntie Peipei and uncle Ken

I'm so sorry to hear this...while I didn't interact too much with Kevin in college, he was the soloist when the Bowdoin Symphony Orchestra played "Rhapsody in Blue". He did so without having the sheet music in front of him. Masterful performance of a difficult piece. I will always remember that night.

On behalf of Shomik Verma, Gregory Tan, Wilbur Li, myself, and everyone from Fort Settlement and Clements whose lives you touched along the way, thank you for being a part of our childhood, growing up together with us, and exploring the world as one of us. It was a pleasure to have been by your side in the good old days, and it has been an honor to know the amazing, confident man you've grown up to be. We will never forget you, Kevin Chen.

Kevin Chen was so talented and such a bright young person, full of passion, exuberant energy and full hearted loving and laughing that will be always remembered!

We hadn't talked much since I was in college, but in every interaction we had -- mainly through Facebook groups, one of which we were both admins of -- Kevin was such an incredibly kind person, universally liked in every space we shared. He was just a joy to interact with online. My deepest condolences to his family and everyone that knew him well.

I never got the opportunity to meet Kevin in person, but seeing all the different lives he touched makes me appreciate the time he spent with us almost every Sunday afternoon that much more. Seemingly without fail, Kevin was the first person to join the voice chat, as well as the first to ask me and others how we were doing and how our week went. Whether we were playing a game or just talking about life, Kevin always made our conversations more fulfilling and enjoyable. Rest in peace man

I met Kevin back in middle school, when I didn’t really have many friends—he was one of the few I did. I remember MathCounts and sitting in 6th grade math class together, where the work was so easy for him that he’d joke around and even make fun of the teacher a little. He was smart, funny, kind, and had a good heart.
I think back to physics class, where he was ridiculously good at Tetris Battle and we’d laugh about Mark Kinsley and Mr. Heitman’s class. The jokes and laughs with him made the days bearable.
In college, we started talking every day. We even ran a meme page together (though it was mostly him, lol). We met up at hackathons, hung out during breaks, and I remember him sending me videos of his dog all the time. We played games on Twitch—like when I watched him fight the Sans boss on Undertale over and over, or when we randomly played Rocket League and he recommended Night in the Woods.
Through all of that, what stood out was how humble he was. He got a perfect score on the SAT, did undergrad math research, and later worked in fintech, but he never bragged about any of it. He was just always there as a friend and a comfort.
I talked to him briefly again a few years ago, but I wish I had kept up more. When I saw the news this morning, I broke down in tears. Rest in peace, Kevin—you were a good friend, a smart and kind person, and I’ll always remember you.

RIP King
You'll forever be remembered by all the homies you made laugh

you were a legend in our memeosphere

we never forgot your iconic “this is good content”

i hope the stars shine bright wherever you are now

Kevin,

We grew up in the same neighborhood in Crescent Lakes — we met in middle school and you were a constant inspiration for me and a lot of folks in my year in our contest math days; you were always sharp, willing to explain stuff to us, and reliably provocative in an entertaining way. Have always admired the depths of your talents and the variety of friendships you’ve kept over the years.

Glad we were able to reconnect post-college and hang out in Houston, whether it was Shomik’s holiday parties, Mala Sichuan, or poker in the city. We got to see a side of you that was confident, sharp, and persistently compassionate.

Really glad the group of us got to visit you at the hospital just a few weeks ago in Houston and speak with your caring and attentive family and your other friends. Kevin Z said it best below — you will live on in our memories each time we get together as a group of friends for the rest of our lives.

Wilbur Li

RIP Kevin 🙏. Your energy will be missed. Remembering you

He was very proud of his first fish catch

Kevin had a beautiful soul and warmed the lives of everyone who knew him. I've known Kevin since the 6th grade. He was a brilliant student - he was almost 2 years younger than many in our class, but was regularly at the top of our MathCounts standings. But being the youngest wasn't always easy. We had many courses together, and I remember fellow classmates and even teachers treating him unfairly. 

But as we grew older, Kevin blossomed into a kind, warm, and hilarious friend to many. We teamed up many times for quiz bowl contest, where Kevin was a fierce competitor. He expected the best of himself, but never blamed his teammates when we fell short. We lost touch for a bit when he left Texas for college, but reconnected over a shared love of online humor and memes. It was amazing to see how beloved Kevin was in his online community - it felt like being friends with a celebrity. Kevin found success in academics, personal relationships, and his professional life. I know that many people in each of these spheres will be deeply affected by Kevin's passing. I wish the best for everyone, especially his family.

The selfie is from when some of our friends gathered in DC to meet up a few years after graduating. It was a very hot (though not Texas hot) DC summer day as we walked back to the car from touring the Natural History Museum. I like this photo because it helps me remember both the visit and my surprise and excitement when we discovered you had grown your hair out (I liked how you would change up the cuts over the years)! 

The other three photos are from our last week at Bowdoin, before graduating. We were able to spend a lot of time without the pressure of school, whether that meant cooking up breakfast in 52, Ben taking us on a little picnic excursion to a local beach, or chatting about everything and nothing. These photos help me think back to our Senior year and recall a lot of fond memories: playing Smash Bros, you sharing Koda pics, watching Snowpiercer, your Piano (and otomatone) performances, playing poker (or mostly watching in my case), and just hanging out.

I think back and remember you as a gifted and diligent student and pianist, and while you certainly are both, it’s your kindness, humility, wit, and dedication that make you such a wonderful person and leave a lasting impression.

-Truitt

I was wondering why I stopped seeing memes from you. I remember when I found out THE Kevin Chen of post hard fame was working at Epic. I miss chatting about stonks, Epic bs, and sharing memes from Post Hard. Btw, hope you never got called by U-Haul from when I agreed to drive your stuff down to Chicago. I may have scraped the entire left side of the truck when I got it stuck in an alleyway. Anyway, your next butter burger is on me. Get well!

Jeremy

It's been a while since the RA days but you were without a doubt one of the kindest, funniest, and most genuine people I had the pleasure of meeting online and there were a lot of all three so I don't say that lightly. The person I am today was so heavily formed by the influence of the communities we shared, and by you by extension because of your presence in those spaces. Sending you the best always

Albert

hey kevin! it’s been so long. You were my first real internet friend, and i’m so grateful for that. Talking with you about music, video games, music from video games, among other things, was such a great memory for me. I really value our friendship, even if we haven’t been in touch so much recently. Sending RAIS love and well wishes from michigan!!

Kevin and I met on the Facebook through Rach Aeathetics, and our senses of humor meshed almost instantly. It was uncanny meeting someone who was so easy to banter and post alongside. kevin and I shared an interest in the Undertale character Asriel — I animated a gif of Asriel waving based on the profile pic he was using then! It was so awesome to then see that gif used in his account for the longest time (until greedy Zucc decided gifs were no longer worth supporting >:( ). 

Kevin, you are awesome and loved. It is a miracle to have met you, and I wish you the best always.

We only knew each other online for a short time, back when I watched twitch streams but Kevin was always such a kind and thoughtful person. He gave me good advice on how to build my account out (which I’m still following) and just in general he was always just so great to listen to. Thank you for all that you’ve done and I wish you the best.

I will never forget my MathCounts rival, New England college buddy, Twitch streamer, and lifelong friend. As long as I and everyone else here remembers him, then he will never go away, and he will continue to live on with us. Puerto Rico is now queued into my vacation lineup, and I will go in the near future in his stead. Kevin will be able to see his dream come true. I will always remember my fellow Kevin for as long as I live, and I will take him with me on my journey to the end.

To me, Kevin was a late bloomer. He was similar to me in that I feel that he struggled to find himself during grade school and felt lost during his childhood. Once he went to college, I feel like he really hit his stride and became his own man. Of course, once he had left for college, we didn't see each other as much anymore, but my picture was from a Christmas party that we attended together a few years ago, once we were well past college and into adulthood. The difference between the Kevin I knew back in Fort Settlement Middle School and the Kevin I saw working at Two Sigma making bank was like night and day. He was so much more confident, more expressive, more decisive. More happy. In 2024, we were talking a lot about his dreams of moving to Puerto Rico, mainly for the memes and for taxes, but he was really into it. The man was a millionaire in his mid-twenties, had so many friends around the world, and had an amazing apartment, living it up in Houston Midtown. He wanted to retire early, enjoy life, and focus on the things he wanted to do instead of working all the time. He had already scoped out Puerto Rico, and he knew about permanent resident requirements, had plans to buy a summer and winter home, and was preparing for his retirement life in a few years. I was very happy for him. Late 2024, when I was trying to coordinate with others for a friend's wedding, I reached out, and I found out that he had logged out of several messaging platforms. It was almost like he disappeared from the internet. At the time, I had thought, Wow, he's done it, he made it to Puerto Rico. He had unplugged and was enjoying life. I had hoped to get in touch one day in the future and check out his new house. Of course, now in 2025, I realized what really happened. Kevin probably won't be able to make it to Puerto Rico anymore. But that's okay, because I will go there for him.

Thanks for taking care of my boy Benny here! Kevin gave me a lot of valuable advice when I adopted Benny since Id never owned a dog before.

I think this is the only photo of Kevin I have, because he never liked to be in any pictures. We're sitting in the first apartment I lived in back in Madison, just a few weeks before the pandemic lockdown started, and he's playing this wind-powered "chord organ" that I bought off Facebook.

I moved into that apartment with a random (at the time) guy named Adam. I remember finding him during the initial "Welcome to Epic" meeting to sit by him and I'm pretty sure he was the one who introduced me to Kevin. When Kevin told me his last name was Chen I was immediately like "wait Kevin Chen from Post Hard?!" It was wild to meet the real person behind that Toriel profile picture. That was a really fun couple of years with the 5 of us Epic boys. Seeing the posts on here from his brother reminds me of us all going to this ramen place near UW where I tried & failed the extreme spicy ramen challenge. I kept the leftover noodles though and then Kevin later told me to pawn off the noodles on his younger brother who was attending the university. I don't think I ever did follow up and ask him how his brother liked the noodles.

I'm sorry we fell out of contact as time has passed, Kevin. Those couple of years in Madison right out of college were a blast. I'll hit you up on discord or messenger or something soon and hopefully we can reconnect.

I met Kevin through a mutual friend (Adam) shortly after starting our first job (Epic) out of college. Those first couple years in Madison were so much fun and I’ll always cherish them especially because of the amazing people I got to meet like Kevin. I absolutely loved picking your brain about food and learning how to enhance my cooking skills. Thanks for coming up to visit me in Wausau after I moved even farther north than Madison haha.

Hope we can catch up soon!

Kevin and I met sometime in 7th grade. 

I had just transferred to Fort Settlement at the time, and ended up making friends with him as we used to eat lunch at the same table at the time. 

Through middleschool, we played ERS, Slapjack, and some other card games at the time. Kevin almost always won when we played slapjack (ouch myhands haha).

We didnt have too many classes together as he was ahead of me for most subjects at the time, but we almost always had lunch period together. I got into playing Final Fantasy Tactics after watching him play it on the bus on the phone. Thanks to that learnt about emulators, and played a couple of games myself.

Later on we'd go to the same highschool, Clements. Looking back most of the clubs/after school activities that I did was because Kevin got me into them. From Math Counts, Trivia, and Clements Earth. 

I was alot more shy (though I was still a chatterbox) so it helped me get out of my comfort zone. At the time, it was daunting, but now im grateful for it.

There was also a period when Kevin got into Pen-spinning, and as result I also got into it. We certainly annoyed some of our teachers due to dropping the pens alot during class while learning different spins. I can still do some of the spins to this day.

I've got more stories...but to me those years in middle school and high school were precious. Thank you for being part of them

Happy Birthday Kevin! 

Though we had many mutual friends our freshman year and we shared almost daily breakfast meals at Moulton. I really got know know you through Taiko my sophomore year. At first I was intimidated. 'd heard that your were super intelligent and so musically talented. You'd whip the bachi back and forth and I could like barely hold mine. I'd never played an instrument and had zero rhythm. You were  great taiko mentor and oh so patient with me. I think I would get frustrated first and you would just reassure me that it would come with practice. I'm glad I joined taiko and I could get to know you better -as my own friend-and not as a friend of a friend. If you have the time, Lamentations 3: 19-27. A great big hug on your special day.

Message for Kevin aka Zephyr/Lee

Here Osu_San aka male-mountain lover!!

I don't really how to start this massage, first all i want to said i dont want to do a sad message because i want to believe everything will be going to fine even if the odds are not in the good side, i still believe there's will be a small percentage, you will be able pass this situation!!

ASÍ QUE ARRIBA EL ANIMO Y UN FUERTE ABRAZO EDICIÓN LATINO!! ( Translation: SO CHEER UP AND A BIG HUG LATIN EDITION ) 

But I want to first do a little flashback of my journey in this community!

*Insert flashback music *

Was a cold night in the of 2024 searching for twitch in Arknights category when i find a small channel playing to IS but i going to be honest i got curious because a pfp of Lee sooooo instant click, i got a introduction of 4 interting people Gavial aka Fiammetta fan, Elysium aka Schawrz beliver, Kroos a good person and Lee/Kevin aka Passenger magnet!!

A group of 4 people with a small community with i feel welcomed and passed a lot of funny moments especially reading chapter 14 stream and IS 4 tournament moments and more moments will come because I believe we have and copium for Lee Alter in CNY in 2026 with Waai fu alter 6 star welfare trust me in this!!!

I hope for you a good day/afternoon/night and i believe you going to pass this rough moment and when you know we all going to do a stream of IS5 only Passenger core run!!! 

Take care and hope havea more health Lee/Zephyr/Kevin!!

Kudos Osu_San!!

I don’t have any photos with him, but I remember having a great night at Ivies where we stood outside the hot dog truck for hours chatting about the musical theater class we were both taking. We had a lot of mutual friends, but that was the first time I had ever gotten to know him. I’m really glad I got that opportunity, and I greatly appreciated his company, both for the remainder of our Bowdoin careers and afterwards.

One of the few pictures I have of Kevin, because I always wanted to protect his desire to not have his face in photos online. I'm so thankful for our time at Bowdoin, for the friendship we shared, and all the times we spent together.

Today I got a reminder that it's Kevin's birthday, and I had a chuckle remembering a core memory of celebrating Ivies after my 21st birthday and Kevin let me take him to Walmart so I could buy our alcohol, and feeling so embarrassed that we ran into our CS professor at the checkout aisle. Even though we were very tame that night, it was such a sweet memory just sharing those drinks together. Wish more than anything we could have another drink together. Happy Birthday buddy.

Streaming IS doesn't feel the same without the stalwart Lee avatar in the Arknights category. Partly because it's been far too long since I last ritually timed you out for sending a Clownsenger emote, of course... but truthfully because you have such a noticeably positive effect on every space you're in.

Even in my frustration with your D15 coaching and my pushback out of stubbornness and denial, your patience and eagerness to see me improve still influence me today. It's unequivocally thanks to you that I've come to appreciate high level IS for what it is. (Still prone to being an idiot when Passenger's hand shows up though, working on that) 

You'll also be happy to know I'm maxing out the LDA squad! And I'll continue to think of you every time Lee gets a chance to shine. 

It's a pleasure to know you, and I hope we'll get to catch up one day.

I can’t really speak for any amazing adventures I’ve had with you, but you were always floating everywhere on weird Facebook especially 1 v 1 and Rach Aesthetics and I connect you so much to those groups of people. You’re going to be in my thoughts, and I wish you an amazing recovery so you can see how much you touched so many other people and you are one of the best and most memorable people I have encountered on the internet. Safe recovery, Kevin

I can count with my fingers the amount of times we've talked to one another, and your kindness and witty personality that brought laughter and smiles. I am grateful that I got to know you and talk even if it was for just a brief moment. 

Wishing the best for you, your family, and close friends Zephyr.

The first time I've ever interacted with you was when you became a Guest Judge for the AKOC contests! From that stream, I was a little bit anxious because you were a new face, but from the few interactions I've come to find that you were a really chill and genuine person to be around; I'm sure people within your closer circles, irl or online would say so too. The Arknights neighbourhood is by no means a big community, but I'd consider it a very tightly-knit one, so seeing someone like you go is incredibly saddening, and I wish I had been able to talk to you more.  

I'm sending my best wishes to you and your family, and I hope for your recovery, Zephyr!

It's ironic that you always hide your face in public photos, and now here we are with so many amazing pictures and memories with you. It feels like just yesterday we were all in Searles 224, yet somehow, it also feels like a lifetime ago. I cherished all of those times—the laughter, the jokes, the nerdy math and CS discussions, and of course, your many intense Rocket League sessions that I spectated.

I've always been impressed by your brilliant mind, and even more so by your captivating and effortless piano performances. I could genuinely listen to you play for hours, and I’m so thankful you shared that gift with us. And I must not forget our shared love of food, because we both know that food is life and food is love.

Kevin, I am so lucky to have met you and will always treasure the time we spent together. You are truly one of a kind.

P/S: I have to echo Mingo's note about that lunch @ Kura Sushi... That was phenomenal, the amount of food that we ate!

I first met you while bumbling through the Arknights category, as is typical of our small corner of the internet. What followed was an introduction to some of my favorite memories in all my time of playing Arknights. Your channel and community got me on the path to challenging IS4 with Birdknights, taking on maps I had no right challenging, and coping for someone to coach me even though I had Passenger in my party. Whenever I recite some obscure IS fact, or stare down Sentinel or two kings, or hear someone exclaim in dread at Ice-Cold Image, I think of you and your community and all the great times I've had. I'm still hunting my own 1-3-4, and by god when I get it, I'll think of Love in Sami and all that entails. Thank you for your guidance, your influence on the AK community, the wisdom you shared with us, and most importantly, the multiple coaching sessions I dragged you into and for which I will forever be grateful. I wish you nothing but the best.

I'm really sorry to hear that your condition has turned out this way. From all my interactions with you, I could sense that you were a very caring and genuine person who really enjoyed what they were doing. I still remember completing the 2048 game embed on your Twitch channel, joining your server and getting the 2048 role. 

You really made the world around you a better place, both online and certainly in real life as well. I'm hoping for your recovery so that we can talk to you again.

I remember first getting to meet you at HackHarvard where we ended up on a team together, and were able to connect over both being Math majors. One weekend (with not much sleep) later our team ended up winning a couple of knex and lego sets. Without your help, I don't think we could have done that. While we only kept in touch periodically after that, I ended up running into you again through your twitch streams. From betting all of our channel points on Gavial, reading (and joking about) the many AK stories, and playing mahjong, I have so many good memories from your streams and discord. Thank you for creating such a great Arknights/gaming community.

I'm not particularly good at expressing sentimental stuff so I won't ramble as much. We haven't interacted much (I don't hang out in IRS vc as much as I used to) but you're always the person I immediately Lee with and the person that comes to mind when thinking about high end IS4. I don't think its much of a stretch that you've impacted a bunch of people even via the silly little things in vc or that one time you deep fried a thumbnail on IRS. Regardless of everything you're still the big boss to me :3 God Bless Thee

(Also hope you like the tiny doodle I made, Im not particularly great at art but I wanted to do this small gesture at the bare minimum <3)

I don't think I'll ever forget the first time I tuned into the stream during a tough time in my college years. After that, realizing that the timing was perfect for my timezone, I continued watching, and slowly all those times became memories I cherish dearly. Every stream was something different and helped my towards growing as a person. As it continued, it helped me become more talkative to others, and I gained more confidence to simply talk, something I struggled with my whole life. Now it just feels wrong to be silent for too long. You helped me break out of a comfort zone I didn't know was holding me back. Then the IS tournaments happened, and that was where I found I enjoyed that gamemode a lot more than I already did.
I hope that everything good comes your way. You have already affected my life and many others in so many different ways. I don't think I'll forget how you turned a character into someone I associate with someone so amazing and talented. Hearing those snippets of you playing the piano or even the silly dog pictures cemented you as a person with a big heart. Thank you for helping me grow as a person, Kevin. I wish all the best to your family, friends, and everyone else, no matter what happens.

My impression of Kevin has always been of a very talented, hardworking individual whether at work or at play.  Experiencing Arknights alongside him has always been a special treat that stood out from everyone else in the massive community.  Our brief glimpses of his life during stream revealed a life enriched with various pursuits like piano, cooking, and professionally loving his dog.  Nothing but respect for this man.  

I'm ever grateful I found your streams, and even more grateful you accepted me into your awesome community.  Mostly silently, but always sincerely hoping for the best.

I haven't been in your streaming community very long, but I still want to leave something. Something thankful. It is ironic that I got to play with you during the Icebreaker Games event, truthfully, and that is because the community you built really did break the ice for me. I got a good laugh too out of your reaction to us having both brought Hung when we did that co-op event. In any case, you managed to get a shy wallflower to break out and grow, even if just a little bit. I hope to be that reminder that even the shortest of encounters can mean a lot. All I can say is thank you.

Big dawg, I'm gonna miss you big time. Barely even remember how I ended up watchin' your streams, but man, the crew was such a fun ensemble. Your team was what got me curious about IS again, even after everyone dumpstering on IS3. Absolutely loved to bits helping out on the tournament, too. Fan-blessedly-tastic. 

Gonna keep hoping you'll make it. I don't wanna see you go...

I still remember the days when I looked at Arknights gameplay as an outsider, trying to make sense of what was going on - who knew that eventually it would be the source of many chaotic late nights filled with laughter. (Image from one of the very earliest streams, where we summoned Fiammetta by eating spicy noodles.)

Your wit and tenacity are unmatched, as is your incredible aptitude for building community. I've always been more than a little Bocchi-like but having the opportunity to be a cohost made me much more comfortable with public speaking and interaction. I’m very grateful that you allowed each of us to take up space in our own ways, and that you always took the time to uplift and include the people around you. 

Thank you, and wishing you and your family all the best.

Though I joined your discord only recently, I've gotten to meet and play mahjong with a bunch of new friends because of the community you created. Despite Cirnobyl's favorite line from Atsuize Pen-chan ("Mahjong causes great damage to the human spirit without a single benefit"), your server has made my life brighter, and I'm sure that's true for many others. And Team Mentanpincer wouldn't've existed without you (logo pictured above, made by Halley). Wishing you the best! Clack! 🦀

I have so many memories but the main one is that Kevin made me feel so welcome in the computer science department and in Searles 224. He was brilliant, to the extent I often felt flattered that he felt he could complain to me about things that felt too easy for him, a sentiment I rarely shared ;) After living in the same freshman dorm, Kevin moved to a much further away dorm, one that he insisted was "close to 224". We walked to his dorm to hang out and work on a problem set after class one day. I had a chemistry lab and left with what Kevin insisted was enough time to get there on time, however, without Kevin I did not remember how to get back to main campus... and ended up almost a half hour late with panic calls to Kevin asking him to direct me back to main campus. I thought for sure this would be an embarrassing end to our friendship but it was instead only the beginnings. 

Even beyond graduation, Kevin kept our friendship group together reaching out over video calls and chats, even through the pandemic. I was so excited to get to share a brief time with him in Chicago in his downtown apartment and in Chinatown. In my low moments of job searching and existential crisis throughout graduate school Kevin was always able to calm me down, offering to help me through referrals and more. 

Thank you Kevin <3

Hi zephyr, i've known and will remember you as an Arknights player and tournament organizer. Thank you for showing your skills in that game and holding events for the community.
...if LTA would organize another Arknights tourney, would you be okay if we name it after you? like "Zephyr Kinen" for example (sorry i got hooked at umamusume lately)

Houston meet-up at one of the few Thai restaurants during winter break (2017 sophomore year). Note the short sleeves (so hot) and we had to order two versions of the same noodle dish because we had different spice tolerances. Kevin was the only one who managed to finish the noodles while the rest of us weaklings just chugged water.

(I just had to pick the purple drawing of Koda I made while we were practicing together, where the only thing Kevin asked me while I drew it was "why is he purple?")

Zephyr, (even though I've known your name for years, you're still Zephyr in my head.) it's hard to believe just how quickly you became one of my most important friends, especially considering we happened to meet because we both played the same game. I've never been good at making friends and genuinely thought you'd meant to ask someone else when you first asked me to join you on a stream, but you made it so easy to be your friend, and that meant the world. I'm glad I got to join you on stream for almost three years. You forced me to come out of my shell and do something I would have never had the guts to try on my own, and I wouldn't trade our time together for anything. 

Some of my happiest moments these past few years have involved you. From rewatching favorite films for the umpteenth time to falling asleep watching a new TV show late at night while on call, we were spending almost every day hanging out, and I looked forward to it every time. We've done serious studies on how to draw hands and laughed while creating cursed doodles that will never see the light of day. When I was stressed out of my mind trying to figure out my thesis, you were there to listen to me rant and work through my confusion. Don't even get me started on streaming, as much as I loved to complain about it, those streams with you and the gang were usually the highlight of my week because of how much fun we always had. You're a great friend and a great guy, you've made my life better just by being in it. Even though I can't do much to repay you for all you've done, I promise to take care of your AK account until the servers shut down and force me off. 

Sending lots of love! 💚

404 (not found) roommate at graduation dinner :) 

ft. Kevin's signature bunny(?)

Nothing beats a classic Moulton lunch/brunch photo :)

Kevin on the Bowdoin promotion pamphlet in Admissions (spotted Aug 2021)

quinessential 224 vibes (ft. Marty's jacket) 

Kevin kept guard of the room while we all dumped our things there and came in and out. 

Thank you for always welcoming and entertaining me, 弟弟! From your musical talent expressed in otamatone to your love for 番茄炒蛋 (over rice?), you provided many many good heeheehahas. I'm not a CS person but felt at home in this room where time progressed differently and the outside world became an irrelevant warp. Lots of teasing but also lots of mind-blowing revelations and always good stories to tell.

Also there was that time when we did the crab rave in Genshin Impact and basically decided to challenge Legend of Vagabond Sword which was the equivalent of max risk CC of Genshin endgame content and we fought one Yu-Peng Chillion crabs (it actually maxed out at 12 crabs) together for about 100 minutes. Then at the end against double Maguu Kenki, there was a super stressful point where all 3 of us died mere millimeters from victory, and YOU HELD ON WITH JEAN and saved the day, allowing us to come back and reclaim victory from the jaws of defeat. If it hadn't been for your quick thinking in that moment, all of our hard work would have gone down the drain. This was also the time when we decided to use the cursed Eyjaslug to hide our game ID's while streaming.

This goes hard (feel free to screenshot). 🦀

I still remember all the times you unmoddded me for typing "passenge" in the chat, and then gifted me sub right after. Those were good times. Having the privilege to appear on your stream as a cohost and do operator "showcases" was a bright spot in my life after the darkness that was Covid-19 and isolation, and the laughs that we had during those many-hour long streams will be precious to me forever.

Thank you Kevin. ❤️

My confession here is that Toriel Undertale has always been associated with your kindness and hilarity to me. Despite the little we’ve interacted in the grand scheme of everything, I genuinely believe I am a more earnest person than I would have been had I not stumbled upon chatting with you. I know there isn’t anything perfect to say in times like these, so I just wanted to say thank you.

I am so incredibly lucky to have gotten to know Kevin during our time together at Bowdoin. Because we both studied Computer Science, we got to know each other and quickly became friends. We bonded over not just our shared classes, but also our shared interests including video games and music. Historically, I always tended to do my homework alone back in my dorm room, where I was free from distractions. After meeting Kevin, though, I started spending more and more time in Searles 224, the computer science lab, so I could see Kevin and our other friends. His friendship transformed that room from a mere working space to a second home on campus where I would go to spend countless hours with the people I loved.

Anyone who knows Kevin knows that he's brilliant; talented at many things; and, most of all, incredibly, incredibly kind. Even after I graduated from Bowdoin in 2017, Kevin would regularly reach out to catch up over video calls, either one-on-one or with our group of friends from Searles 224. During the days of the COVID pandemic, those calls with Kevin were some of my happiest moments. The most recent time I saw Kevin in person was when he visited Boston in 2022. He, Marty, Son, and I demolished dozens of plates of conveyor belt sushi while reflecting on the times we shared together at Bowdoin and discussing what we were looking forward to in the future.

Thank you for sharing many years of true friendship with me and countless others, Kevin. We love you and are so lucky to have you in our lives. Your parents have raised one of the kindest and most wonderful people I've ever known. Sending you all of my love during this tough time.

Hey Kevin! It's been a while but I heard you're not doing so well and figured I'd remind you that I found out about that horrible but hilarious movie Ratatoing because of you, and I'm eternally grateful for that. Thank you also for your kind and caring presence, your willingness to take the time to explain things like stonks to me even though it took a while (but the explanation really stuck!), and those wonderful socks you got me for Hanukkah all those years ago. I still wear them!

I could sit and listen to you play all day. You make the keys come to life.

It feels illegal knowing what Kevin looks like without us meeting irl even though he's one of my earliest and sweetest url friends! I still haven't gotten a fancy sword collection or progressed much in Rocket League, but I've thoroughly enjoyed our conversations. Our shared love of all things cute and fluffy was just the beginning! Kevin is so insightful no matter the topic, and always interacts with wit, warmth and kindness. 
Wishing you and your loved ones strength and peace during this tough period, Kevin. We're all rooting for you, lots of love 💗💖

I really only got to know you during senior year at Bowdoin, but it felt like I knew you for longer. Kevin, you are so kind, witty, and incredibly talented. Thank you for sharing your warmth and humor with us. To Kevin's family–you have raised an extraordinary person. Sending lots of aloha your way.

OBITUARY

Kevin Fakai Chen

August 2, 1998 – August 14, 2025

The Settegast-Kopf Company at Sugar Creek

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