Ben Armstrong gave me my shot in crypto. A few years ago, when I had almost nothing to my name, I wrote HUNDREDS of videos for him back when he was the biggest influencer in the industry. We traveled the country on his book tour. We watched SBF squirm in a Bahamian courtroom. We once broke into the Algorand offices in Boston and left them a note.😅 Im not ashamed to say that I was his right hand for content at the height of his run. It wasn’t all bad. In fact it was some of the most fun I’ve ever had in my life. We made top notch content and I was proud to be a part of it…but that was all before he relapsed and was utterly consumed by the dark side of his ego. Like they always say, “the road to hell is paved with good intentions.” I would be lying if I said that I don’t miss those times and the man I once knew. Out of respect for those experiences, and for the man I’ve evolved into because of those experiences, I thought long and hard about how to carefully word this. Yes, I’m angry with him and I hate how fucking selfish and inconsiderate he became…But to this day, I try my best to remain compassionate. At the end of the day, Ben is a human with flaws; just like me, just like you. The difference is, most of us know when and where to draw the line. What we all loved (or hated) about Ben is that he was a man that had ZERO respect for boundaries. Sometimes, that’s the inception of progression, and sometimes, that’s the inception of crime. Sometimes, that’s the difference between a conspiracy or a delusion. It’s BEYOND SAD that all of that work has been reduced to a cautionary tale, a meme, and to some people, a joke. This is NOT funny. People don’t realize how many people have been hurt because of this debacle. It’s paramount to point out that the friend I once had and the person who he deteriorated into are two COMPLETELY different people. He wasn’t always like this. Sure, he had his past and a suppressed, questionable dark side, but it’s important to point out that this whole thing happened slowly, and almost unnoticeably over time. That’s the thing with high functioning addicts. They’re so sure of themselves that they can almost make YOU believe that 2+2 equals 7. Drugs, ego, paranoia, and a complete lack of respect for baseline reality destroyed this man. Now, he’s in a mental hospital. Not prison. Not rehab. A fucking mental institution. On my way out the door, with my hands practically glued to my pockets, I offered to pay for him to go to rehab, and dammit I wish he took me up on that offer. Instead, with a grin, he burnt every he ever built and cyber bullied his judge along with half of the policemen in Cobb County Georgia. This was supposed to be his redemption arc. Instead, it’s a tragedy. And a warning. No one is above God, reality, or common sense. I miss my friend. I still pray for him. I pray that he heals. I pray that he comes back optimistic with an open mind. I pray for his children. And above all, pray that you all see the lesson here and choose to fill your time pursuing education instead of pursuing a mental diet full of drama. But yeah, part of me still wants to punch him in the face. Crypto saved my life. Yes, money doesn’t buy happiness, but it does solve a lot of problems. Regardless, God and family HAVE TO COME FIRST!