Aahana Swrup
The HBO Original documentary, ‘Quad Gods,’ tells the stories of multiple quadriplegic individuals who found a calling in the world of eSports. At Mount Sinai Hospital, Dr. David Putrino utilizes adaptive gaming as part of some of his patients’ rehab and therapy processes. As a result, it led to the creation of the world’s first group of all-quadriplegic esports teams, Quad Gods. Richard Jacobs, one of the first players to join the team, ended up finding a reliable sense of community in his teammates and a notable sense of purpose in his career. As such, after witnessing his story, one must be compelled to explore his current whereabouts.
Richard Jacobs Joined Quad Gods During its Inception in 2019
On August 18, 2015, Richard Jacobs underwent a traumatic experience after a mugging gone wrong left him paralyzed from the neck down. Although the doctors’ initial diagnosis of a spinal injury was correct, their assessment of his level of paralysis ended up proving wrong. With time, he regained movement in his arms. As a part of his rehabilitation, Jacobs was involved with a support group, Transitions, at Mount Sinai Hospital, where in-patients have regular meetings with people living with quadriplegia for group discussions.
At the East Harlem support group, Jacobs saw his first introduction to the idea of an all-quadriplegic eSports team through Psychologist Angela Riccobono, who helmed Transitions. Consequently, he came on board while the project was still in its early days under Riccobono and Dr. David Putrino. By March 2019, The Quad Gods Team was born. Thus, Jacobs has been an enthusiastic and competitive addition to the team since the beginning, having found a family in his teammates as well as Riccobono and Putrino.
Richard Jacobs Lives in Brooklyn With His Daughter
Although Richard Jacobs has two daughters, only his oldest, Destiny, lives with him in New York. His youngest lives with her mother, whom the eSports athlete has been separated from for some time now. The father-daughter duo have made a life for themselves in Brooklyn, New York, where Jacobs often coaches his young daughter in various sports. After Destiny took up volleyball in middle school, her father always attended her various games. Even though the lack of accessibility at her school in Crown Heights prevented Jacobs from entering the building, he cheered her on from the outside.
Furthermore, Jacobs’ quadriplegia also prevents him from reuniting with his family, many of whom are located in various places across the country— from Pennsylvania to North Carolina. During reunions, he supports his family and encourages them to go on without him. However, where his medical condition brought new challenges, it also brought a new opportunity for a community in the form of Quad Gods. Ever since the creation of the eSports team, Jacobs gained new experiences as an athlete, competing in various professional tournaments and competitions besides his fellow team players.
Richard Jacobs, A.K.A., Breadwinner1007, is a Streamer with a Professional Career in eSports
Gaming has been a huge part of Richard Jacobs’ road to recovery. Alongside helping him rebuild his muscle memory, the activity also ended up becoming the center of his professional life as he began gaming under the handle Breadwinner1007. He’s a self-proclaimed competitive player and specializes in all video games— though he has showcased an affinity for ‘ARK: Survival Evolved’ and ‘Rocket League.’ As a member of the Quad Gods, he and his teammates started participating in competitions in 2019. In January 2021, he qualified for the Adaptive Rocket League Tournament’s finals with fellow Quad God, Sergio Acevedo. Although they ultimately lost the tournament, as well as the next one in the summer, they haven’t given up and plan to return in the future.
Jacobs also plays video games outside of professional competitions as an online streamer. In 2020, he also started a Discord server for disabled players. However, Stream Labs seems to be his primary streaming platform. Fans can get updates about the same on his X (formerly known as Twitter) account, the social media platform where he can be found the most active. Furthermore, he also streams several gameplays on the Quad Gods’ Facebook account, where other players also often join him.
Jacobs was also a part of this year’s Games for Change event in June, in a panel with his teammates, where they discussed accessibility within the gaming industry. Recently, he also attended the Tribeca Festival to promote the HBO documentary. As an online personality, Richard Jacobs shares a part of his life with the audience during his streaming sessions. While he keeps his personal life rather private otherwise— with a dormant Instagram account— he likes to share his enthusiasm for World Wrestling Entertainment with his fans online. As such, aside from his streaming and involvement with the Quad Gods team, he also posts thoughts and opinions about WWE on his X account.
Read More: Prentice Cox: The Quad Gods Esports Team Member is Still an Athlete Today
