Popular YouTuber and streamer iShowSpeed (also known as Darren Watkins Junior and Speed) shocked his 10 million fans on July 28, 2023, when he divulged that he was suffering from an injury that he sustained to his eye.
Speed publicly revealed that his eye was red and swollen and that he even had trouble opening it. He updated his fans with this statement: “It feels like somebody is stabbing my eye with a knife” (via Yahoo! News).
He also stated that he was suffering from severe cluster headaches. Cluster headaches are known to be intensely painful, but it’s unclear if there is a link between his headaches and swollen eye.
What happened to iShowSpeed? How is he now?
Before his injury, Speed never complained about any relevant health issues, like a sinus infection, that could have shed light on his current condition.
So, his fans began speculating and worrying about his health, even spreading online rumors and trying to find a connection between Speed’s health issues and his friend, popular streamer Astrid Wett, although there was no information showing any link between Wett and Speed’s condition.
While his fans are concerned for his well-being, they are also anxious to know when he might return to entertaining them with more of his videos. After all, this talented 18-year-old engages his fans with his rapping, singing, and just generally being a charismatic content creator, but that’s not all he does.
Speed is most famous for his video live streams, where he plays popular video games, including Fortnite, Roblox, and FIFA, and makes funny comments as he navigates the games and tries to win.
Unfortunately, the popular creator is not just famous anymore, but infamous. In 2021, his aggressive behavior while live streaming shocked TikTok fans.
He also harassed a fellow streamer on Twitch and got banned from the platform for that misbehavior. In 2022, Speed almost burned his own bedroom down by setting a Pikachu toy on fire. So, part of his popularity these days is due to his controversial behavior.
So, what happened to iShowSpeed and how is he doing now?
Speed said that he got injured when he “jumped” and “fell,” (via Coopwb), but did not elaborate or give further detail as to how exactly he got hurt.
Unfortunately, Speed’s condition was serious enough to require hospitalization and immediate surgery. The surgery was successful, and Speed was released to go home after a few days to recover.
Luckily, iShowSpeed seems to be healing and keeping his many concerned fans updated on Twitter and YouTube. Speed seems optimistic about a fast recovery and his fans are ready to watch him stream, rap, and sing as soon as he is feeling well enough to return to being a charismatic content creator.