Relive the Highlights of Our Biggest Extra Life Ever

ModSquad November 11, 2021

We’re coming off of a fun-filled 25 hours supporting Extra Life — for the eight year running! This annual gaming marathon brings together players and supporters in a live streamed fundraiser for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

Record-breaking fundraising

Team ModSquad raised a stunning $84,000 (and still climbing!) for Extra Life, placing us at #7 out of nearly 4,000 teams from around the world at the end of game day. In all, Extra Life 2021 pulled in a whopping $10 million to help sick and injured kids. We couldn’t be more excited to support this amazing cause and to be part of this event with other groups who want to help heal kids, too.

And don’t forget, you can still contribute through year’s end at msq.cm/eldonate.

Thank you!

To all of the players, streamers, fundraisers, bidders, shoppers, and donors, we offer our most sincere thanks. We couldn’t have done this without your support.

Special guests made our Game Day

This year, we were very fortunate to have some special guests join our game day stream.

Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals identify child “champions” every year to represent their local children’s hospitals. Past CMN Champion Jackson and current champion Casey hopped into our Twitch channel for a few rounds of Stream Racer. Jackson told us he’s super-excited to help CMNH whenever he can. “They saved my life in 2017,” he said. “I got a second chance from them, and they have my eternal gratitude.”

How do your donations to CMNH help save lives like Jackson’s? By helping hospitals in their network do things like opening new, much-needed facilities. Our guest Michelle Thompson, Assistant Director of Development, Children’s Miracle Network, UC Davis Children’s Hospital, talked about how ModSquad’s participation in Extra Life helped support the opening of the UC Davis Children’s Surgery Center. It’s considered the most technically advanced children’s surgery center west of the Mississippi. Now kids who used to have to travel can now find care closer to home. That’s a win to be proud of!

Kyle Stepp energized us with his story, his enthusiasm for the event, and his appreciation for this great cause. Kyle, CMNH’s Cause Partnerships Manager, and childhood cancer survivor know first hand what is at stake and how this event makes a real difference to kids’ lives. “Extra Life is a movement of thousands of individuals changing kids’ health in their local community. Everything happening here will make a difference,” Kyle told us.

We also love Kyle because he said we’re his favorite. 😉 “I’ve been dropping into streams all day,” he said, “and ModSquad with the hype and challenges is like no other!”

Not only did Kyle take on one of our donation challenges (see his wasabi reaction below), he also sent an absolutely amazing message that really summed up Extra Life 2021 for us. If you haven’t already, please take a moment to read it now.

Thank you, Jackson, Casey, Michelle, Kyle, and all of the guests. Having you join us and sharing your stories really brought home what Extra Life is all about.

Donation challenges spiced up the day

We love supporting Extra Life — it’s an amazing cause that is worthy of and inspires generous support.

Of course, the donation challenges always inspire a bit more generosity. Who doesn’t want to help kids and watch their colleagues eat something disgusting? Team ModSquad proved once again that they’ll do anything to raise a few more dollars for the kids. The live stream was filled with queasy faces making statements like, “I’ve got to get some omeprazole.” Eat or yeet was the slogan of the day, with our hardy heroes gamely taking on all dastardly dishes.

In case you missed some of the choice moments — from eating a ghost pepper to downing a century egg — or just want to relive the fun, you’re in luck. Here’s our recap of a few amazing memories from Extra Life 2021.

Above, beloved ModSquad colleagues (and Rich Weil) faced off in the first round of The HollyMod Squares. We keeed, Rich, we keeed!

For the kids, by the kids. Mary Ryan and friends (above) gather for a late-night round of gaming for good.

Our fearless players took on all manner of stomach-churning challenges triggered by viewer donations. Some of them looked downright queasy by hour 25. Don’t believe us? Take a gander below.

Rochelle H. (below), eating crickets, pushes through the initial crunchy sensation as she steels herself for the nasty aftertaste.

Josh S. (below) instantly regrets taking on the Wheel of Pain after it doles out a cupcake made up of 85% wasabi.

Olive-filled cupcakes take out Rochelle H. (below left) and our amazing host, Brian F. (below right).

Even guest Kyle from Children’s Miracle Network gets into the act, although he seems to immediately regret it after eating a spoonful of wasabi!

As we learned last year, Extra Life is incomplete without host Brian F. (below) waxing his legs. Sit back and enjoy.

The antics continue as Seth S. (below left) puts the finishing touches on his makeup. Ali D. (below center) dons her Red Sox gear for a rousing rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” Josh S. (below right) applies a Baby Yoda tattoo to his forehead. Did we mention those tattoos don’t come off for two to four weeks?!?