Michael Phillip Begum (April 26, 1988 – c. March 19, 2024), better known as BrolyLegs, was an American professional fighting game player primarily known for competing in Street Fighter.
His father died in January 2009 from a brain aneurysm, leaving Begum and Johnny to live with his mother and younger sister, who had both moved to Houston following the separation.
[2] Begum had arthrogryposis, a rare genetic condition that affected the movement of the joints in his arms and legs, along with impeding his muscle growth.
[1][4] Born with the condition, he was placed in medical care shortly after birth to undergo various surgeries for his limbs, only for doctors to confirm he would never walk.
[3] At the age of two, Begum's parents bought him a Nintendo Entertainment System, and Super Mario Bros. 3 was the first video game he played.
[5] Begum stated in a Game Informer interview that in order to access the controller, he would place his wrist on the directional pad and his chin on the buttons.
[1] Begum's gaming nickname "BrolyLegs" was a reference to the character Broly from the anime Dragon Ball Z, a series he was a fan of as a teenager.
[7] Begum was noted for his competitive nature and skill when playing Street Fighter, often being able to place highly in tournaments.
His van and laptop broke down after he had competed in EVO 2016, and the organization supplied him with a replacement, allowing Begum to partner with them for tournaments.
[1] Begum stated that he enjoyed playing competitively as a disabled gamer,[4] reflecting on how it gave him opportunities in life such as traveling and accomplishments that he may have never gotten.
[9][10] Begum's condition led him to develop a technique for playing video games on controllers not designed for gamers with disabilities.
[10] He received rewards as a member of Cross Counter Training,[11] and had coached for games such as Street Fighter, Super Smash Bros. and Guilty Gear.
[12][13] Following the announcement of his death, various members of the fighting game community expressed their condolences on social media, including NuckleDu and Maximilian Dood.