In a recent interview with Wargamer, Critical Role star Sam Riegel opened up about his experiences recovering from tonsil cancer. “The support from the community has been incredible, obviously”, Riegel says, “but the support from my friends and family was invaluable and got me through it”. He also says that the thought of returning to Critical Role and the company’s D&D games “kept me going”.
Riegel mentioned his recent health issues while discussing a new Dungeons and Dragons mini-series he GMs, Wildemount Wildlings. This is a chaotic camp-themed three-parter where teen characters take on monsters dreamt up by a group of real-life children. The game’s setting and encounters were inspired by a home game Riegel plays with his own kids, which he says was put on hold while he was receiving cancer treatment.
“Last year, we barely played because I was sick for half the year, but we’re getting back into it”, he tells Wargamer. “The kids really love playing, they have some really cool characters and love having their friends over, so I’ve got to do it again soon.” “Maybe I’ll take some of the stuff from this mini-series and give it to the kids to play against, too”, he adds.
Riegel first publicly announced his cancer diagnosis on July 8 with a YouTube video explaining his absence from Critical Role. “I made the announcement eight months ago, but they [the health problems] had already been going on for four months”, he says. “By the time I made that video explaining what was going on, most of the bad stuff was already over.”
As well as thanking his friends and family, Riegel specifically mentions how supportive the Critical Role team was during his treatment. “Several members of the cast drove me to appointments and helped me get through, or they visited me at my house and brought me food and treats.”
“It was great having the support of all those folks, but I really just wanted to get back to the studio and get back to making stuff like Wildemount Wildlings”, Riegel adds. “That kept me going. It gave me something to hope for and fight for. I’m feeling super great now. I’m very healthy, I’m cancer-free, and I’m happy to be back in the GM seat.”
Wildemount Wildling’s next episode airs on April 10, and you can watch its debut on YouTube now. If you’d like to discuss the show, head on over to Wargamer’s Discord.
Or, if you’d like to learn more about what team Critical Role is up to, here’s all you need to know about Vox Machina season 4 and Matt Mercer’s latest charity game, Lost Odyssey: Godfall. We can also tell you all about DnD classes and DnD races, ready to help you build your next character.
Source: Wargamer
