I’ve previously reported on the terrible news surrounding Eagle Dynamics Senior Producer Matt “Wags” Wagner’s recent cancer diagnosis. Matt has been a beloved member of the community for decades and his diagnosis has seen the community step up in a big way. A GoFundMe has been setup to help cover medical expenses while the community comes together during Operation Wags. Here are some details!
Supporting in the fight against cancer
Matt Wagner has been often best known by his regular tutorial video updates on various DCS World modules developed by Eagle Dynamics. Matt has also often been the way that we’ve learned about new features and how to use them to their fullest thanks to his clear and concise video tutorials. His videos have thousands and hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube.
The reveal just a few weeks ago that he was fighting cancer was a gut punch.
A GoFundMe has been setup by close friends of Matt Wagner with donations intending to cover medical bills and daily expenses.
Matt himself has penned a long update on what happened and his condition. He’s revealed that he has been diagnosed with myelofibrosis – a form of bone marrow stem cell cancer. His condition reportedly worsened and he was rushed to the ER once and then again a few days later with sepsis. He has followed that up by a stay with a rehabilitation clinic and has only just returned home in recent weeks.
With the sepsis behind me and a good handle on the longer-term sepsis effects, my full attention is now on the cancer. I’ll be talking with a bone marrow transplant clinic this week (an actual cure) and I hope to be on a medication (Vonjo) in three weeks that should boost blood count levels. It’s these costs, plus many out-of-network bills, that were keeping me awake at night. This Go Fund Me has taken a tremendous amount of financial stress off my back.
Matt reveals that he has been recovering and dipping some toes into work again with decisions on if the DCS: F-15C will have early or late versions of the APG-63, working on new contracts for new Redfor projects, some product direction on Iraq south, and working with Nick and Kate on longer term product planning.
Meanwhile the GoFundMe is aiming to raise $90 thousand dollars in USD and has already reached 92% of its goal.
I’d just like to say that flight simmers are passionate people who frequently argue and debate every tiny detail, however, when it comes to taking care of their own, they really step up in a big way.
Operation Wags
A community-wide charity event is happening on Friday, July 31st through Sunday, August 2nd and again on Friday, August 7 through Sunday, August 9. Called Operation Wags, the charity event seeks to bring together as many community members, content creators, mission builders, and others to draw attention to and raise funds for Matt Wagner.
Eagle Dynamics, third party developers, hardware manufacturers, and community partners will be doing giveaways and prizes for participants and viewers throughout both weekends.
REDFOR will be stacked with familiar faces from across the creator and developer community. BLUEFOR is you, whether you’re a veteran virtual pilot or brand new to the fight; there’s a place in the skies for you at this event. Fly missions, hold or take objectives, chase down your favorite creators for bragging rights, or just be part of something built to support someone who’s given so much to this community. Every sortie, every stream watched, every share, and every conversation helps close the gap to the goal.
More on this in the coming days!
Stormbirds 
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