TurboGrafx-16 and Hard Times w/ John Hancock

[@MyRetroLife]

Go to sponsr.is/cs_retro_0823 and use code RETRO to save 25% off today. Thanks to Curiosity Stream for sponsoring today’s video

[@fidelsolis6070]

This reminds me of me when it was so poor and only bought a Atari. Also remind s me how tough it is to be a parent. Kudos and blessings for my Sister luzbey who was always there for her first kid david. She would save up for his first console a Nintendo gamecube

[@bczarrockbeast6264]

My parents got divorced when i was 6 i lived with my dad in a one bedroom apartment. We had nothing but beds a couch a card table an a NES. Every pay day my dad would take me to rent a game i could still probably list every game we played together. At the time i had no idea how much we were struggling and how it affected my dad. In my child brain me and dad were having a blast together constantly. Not until i was older did i realize how much my dad thought he was failing me. Even still today he apologizes from time to time. Being present and there for your kids will trump buying them the newest thing every time.

[@MyRetroLife]

Presence over Presents. Thanks for sharing man.

[@drunkensailor112]

Dude that story shows what a great dad you had. Makes me cry

[@TheMalitz17]

Wow. Heavy stuff a lot of us can relate to. All the best man thanks for sharing.

[@bczarrockbeast6264]

@@drunkensailor112 yes he is an amazing man and I am very grateful for him everyday. He gave me the tools I need to be an awesome dad myself even when the going gets tough.

[@bczarrockbeast6264]

@@kyleAGB lol we also had a TV I figured It was implied.

[@johnhancockretro]

Thanks for sharing my story. I rarely talk about this time in my life as this was after my parents divorced. While it was not my first game console, it will be one that I cherish deeply.

[@MyRetroLife]

Thank YOU for opening up to all of us about it. Appreciate you man for your friendship and all that you do for the retro community.

[@JusticePyro]

❤

[@MattiusFincham]

John, keep on keepin' on, brother!

[@MartinBarreby]

❤

[@solutionxero]

hey man you're awesome! ive been following you for years! keep on doing what you're doing!

[@GD-eh3mj]

Your channel has helped me realize how emotionally damaged we all are and how wrestling and video games became a way to bond with our fathers in the wake of their absence

[@Nomah1979]

This brought up a lot of emotion regarding my own childhood. I grew up dirt poor having no indoor plumbing, having to fill water jugs at my grandmother's eight at a time and taking a bath by heating hot water on the wood stove. Me and my brother and sister never really had consoles and had to live vicariously through kids at school. A lot of my childhood memories consisted of staying warm and making sure we had enough to eat. At the same time I didn't know any better because that's just the way things were. The most typical way I played the newest video games was at the bowling alley when I could scrounge up quarters. This all changed when my dad finally got us moved into town into a regular house with running water and things of that nature. He had a couple of good years at work and in 1992 out of the blue he came home from the pawn shop with a black-and-white TV and a NES and gave it to us kids to set up in our room. This blew my mind as I've never had a video game system, let alone my own TV. For a kid of 11 years old this was amazing. Ninja Gaiden was the game that the system came with as well as Mario and Duck Hunt. As messed up as it is I finally felt semi-normal. I mean yeah we were fine growing up but we couldn't really associate with other kids stories regarding their consoles and what everybody else was doing... I remember being really happy and excited and feeling normal. I think my dad felt guilty, as time went on he would do his best to get a console here and there through his wheeling and dealing or at the pawn shop. Yeah they might have been a few years late but he got us our first Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo as well a few years later. Thanks for sharing this story as it opened the door to my own.... thank you

[@DarcyTheManstop]

Beautiful story

[@NintenDub]

It goes to show what's neccesary, and what is excess. A small portion of the world live in excess and are spoiled brats which leads to why things are the way they are,why people behave the way they do. Living to survive,is the grind of most of humanity. We all should be forced to live a certain way for a brief moment in time

[@TheMalitz17]

​@@NintenDubI think this is sort of a grim take on life. You'll learn that for every "spoiled brat" you speak of, there are a multitude of extremely hard working, talented people that gave everything, every day, in order to enjoy those niceties. Just like everyone else. Some are more talented than others, fine. Some play soccer better than others, fine. That doesn't make them spoiled brats. No, in fact, no one should be forced to live any sort of way. That's the beauty of this country. This man grew up in a trailer park, now he wears a hat with his name on it and has a cult following. So, you're wrong. Follow your dreams. Work hard. And hopefully live in the US.

[@NintenDub]

@@TheMalitz17 I do live in the US. Nonody should be forced no. But anyone who is shown what it's like to have nothing,usually have more gratitude,work harder and are more emotionally stable. That's all I was getting at, that if everyone wasn't so spoiled, the world would be a better place,full of.ppl who are more grateful to work and be alive etc etc there's too many ppl given everything, and you can see em from a mile away

[@zachary_attackery]

No running water? That's nothing! John Hancock had to get a TurboGrafx instead of a SNES! That's REAL hard times!

[@rufioquin2406]

Thanks for sharing this. I follow you both, and damn it I was not planning on crying this morning. I was raised by a single mom, and even though we didn’t struggle, we were by no means rich and my mom bought me stuff she really didn’t have to or perhaps sometimes need to. I switched schools in 8th grade and was picked on for three years or so but video games were my escape, and I consider my childhood wonderful, all thanks to my mom who could have easily fell apart after my dad walked out when I was 6. John is so right, they’re so much more than just “games.” They’re an escape and something that creates irreplaceable memories that only mean more as you get older. My mom passed away on November 10, 2021. Rest in peace mom, love you ♥️

[@fidelsolis6070]

I am sorry for your loss. Your mom was a great Person. It is true when I said it's a escape for being bullying or Struggling 😭 n Life.I know that feeling. Godbless you and your family

[@AaronVillalobos]

Man... what a story. This made me really appreciate when my mom got me the N64 back in christmas of 99 when looking back at it, she didnt have much money either. Super thankful for what my parents provided me as a child.

[@ELZ00M]

I remember my mom and I busy calling places to get one when the popularity was at its peak. She ended finding one for me, what a time, haw? :)

[@treedeblue]

I can totally understand John’s emotions. My single parent mother worked really hard to provide me and my brother with a NES for Christmas, this made me tear up.

[@temperedglass1130]

And yet you will put her in an old folks home when the time comes. You care so much.

[@treedeblue]

@@temperedglass1130 no I will not, but you’re right a large majority do. It’s part of the American culture.

[@doggpound9319]

​@@temperedglass1130wtf? Why would you assume that? You weirdo.

[@SpeccyHorace]

​@@temperedglass1130Do you know him or something?

[@treedeblue]

@@SpeccyHorace nope, I don’t know this person.

[@sneakerssnake2787]

Never met John but I can clearly see how much of a sweet person he is… from the heart, well done sir!

[@the_sane_and_logical_hooligan]

Im about John’s age. My dad got me into video games in 1987 when I was 6. Our game was Kid Icarus on the nes. Even at a young age I mastered that game because we didn’t have a lot of money and it’s literally all I played over and over and over. We loved it. 25 years later, In early 2012, with a wife and kid of my own now, I called my dad who lived a few states away and told him “hey dad remember that Kid Icarus game we used to play back in the day? They’re making another one. Finally!” He was laughing remembering those times. We reminisced. He talked to my kid on FaceTime about those times. I bought KI Uprising on launch day for the 3ds. I preordered it. First game I preordered in many years. I started it up and played the first level. The original music kicked in. Upgraded but nostalgic at the same time. Not even 10 minutes into the game I got a call that my dad had just passed away. It gutted me. It took me months to play the game again but I vowed to finish it in his honor. To this day I still have it on the shelf alongside the amiibo and a picture of my dad with a handwritten note (from a box of old vhs tapes he sent me) that read “Good memories!”

[@chriswaters834]

This made me tear up and served as a reminder of everything my mom has done for me in my life and I’m so fortunate. John seems like a great guy and I love his channel as well. Thanks for capturing this and sharing.

[@evoltnvii]

I grew up much the same way as John and my dad did everything he could to make my life as good as possible working 2 or 3 jobs sometimes.

[@thrall343]

My parents neglected me, just kinda ignored me and I felt alone, my grandpa got me all the older consoles I own and they were my escape from my life. And to this day it's an escape from all the crap we all deal with

[@studiotime6671]

I met John in Portland at PRGE last year. He was wrapping up and about to leave his post for the day. I was super nervous and on the brink of an anxiety attack at the thought of meeting him in person. I almost gave up but at the last minute forced myself to go see him. He was incredibly down to earth and such a friendly person. He made me feel calm. I'm glad I took the chance. Thanks John.

[@PlusUltraAdrian]

God bless John Hancock and his mom. That was a very touching story. I'm going to sub to his channel right now.

[@MyRetroLife]

Great channel and even greater man

[@ModePhaser]

Very heartfelt and wholesome story. Just one of the many reasons I love this Channel. John's mom was a true hero. A little can go a long way when your heart is in it. ❤

[@bakihanma644]

This is how the other side lived Jack. Sometimes, things don't go your way, baby. Magine' that, retrolife

[@josean6287]

As the only son of a single mother, I can relate with how John felt... They go the extra mile to make us happy and now as an adult, we value that so much more

[@apr2499]

I was very poor when I was young so I can relate! John is such a great guy! My respect for him grows by the day!

[@spazandies]

After hearing John's story, I went to my mum, gave her a hug and reminisced about the times she got my Sinclair ZX Spectrum and more over my Sega MegaDrive during difficult times. The video literally hit home. Thank you John and thank you Tyler for all you have done and do.

[@RetroGamingNook]

John is such a good man. Big heart.

[@cpl.barbarusc4814]

I never expected to see John this emotional for a story like this, his mother did a big and awesome thing to keep John happy in the hardest time of their lives. Thank you for sharing this story, It reminded me the time when my cousins donated me their Nintendo 64, was the same year my grandma and my dog passed away, It was a dark year, just when I was transitioning from the elementary to secondary school. It was almost 14 years algo, but I still remember how It felt, and how the N64 in a way was my way to Let the pain away of these unexpected departures didn't put me down. And then there is my Xbox 360, where I keep the avatar of a friend , from which I unfortunately just broke up this year, I created her avatar on the Halloween season from 2018, and I have kept it eversince she came to my House with a friend to play a while after leaving from a Halloween party. In a way I learned that videogames are the memory lane for many gamers. Thanks for the video and thank you for supporting John like this.

[@The_Fat_Fury]

I can definitely relate to this. I grew up low-low middle class in a trailer park and my mom worked so hard. May not have been able to get the hottest new console but eventually my mom would find a way. I believe it was christmas 1995 when I finally got a super nintendo and I was so happy. I'll always be thankful for everything she did for me.

[@Smoloko123]

I'm 33 years old now and my parents divorced in 2008. Nothing's been the same since, holidays especially don't feel like holidays anymore. But I'm grateful for everything in my life right now and probably wouldn't be the person I am today hadn't things gone the way they did. These videos remind me of my old life from the late 90s and early 2000s, a time of innocence, leisure time to play video games and no responsibilities, bills or having to worry about hustling to survive to pay the rent. I love your channel bro, and I'm still a hardcore gamer to this day. Christ is King, God bless.

[@tbonemaloneknowsitall]

What a beautiful story and beautiful moment with the immortal John Hancock.

[@ELZ00M]

Awww John’s story is very heart wrenching. What a great person to have shared the love he has for his mother and recognizing and seeing her love and what she did was all he wanted the most. I can tell he probably felt like she didn’t even have to get him a single thing and he would have been just as content. Amazing. I have so many moments I need to be thankful for to mom and dad. I love them so much.

[@bradleymcavoy3432]

Something doesn’t add up here, How could John be like 9 or 10 in 93 getting a TurboGrafx-16 from his mother when he was a Teenager getting a Sega Genesis in 89/90 with his “Own Money” he earned! 🙄

[@aepsira9220]

Nothing is more heart warming than a person telling a story from their heart that reaches back in their mind and life experience in a way that pulls you in for a brief moment and places you in their shoes. As a person who grew up with little to nothing with a single mother who tried as hard as she could in the years that followed my father's sudden death... I unfortunately understand too well that the smallest gestures of love in the darkest times are what's remembered forever.

[@ItsBriezzy]

Damn Tyler, making me weep and ball my eyes out with almost every video. It is almost like a therapy session with each one, keep on doing what your doing, much love

[@DAWLESS1]

I've been a huge John Hancock fan for many years now. Watch him build his room behind the house and fill it with wonders that he would share with us. You can feel the love John has for the preservation of this time in our lives as a whole. I thank the both of you for releasing this video.

[@joshmiller887]

My heart goes out to John and his Mom. You can tell life gave this man a ton of perspective and he realizes now, the challenges his mom faced. Thanks for sharing!

[@JohnSmith-zl8rz]

I have a lot of respect for John, he's a real true gamer, he even don't fall on grading shit and things like that.

[@bvs56]

Hey you can go see John's collection at his museum.......oh wait....

[@vincentdominguez765]

So touching. I can definitely understand and relate. One year for Christmas, while the NES was out that's all we could wish for,my parents couldn't afford much with 3 kids etc, we received the atari 7800 ,while it wasn't the NES it still holds dear to me and my heart. Thank you for sharing the video.

[@1nfamousme210]

This brought me to tears! How personal something is to someone that most people don’t give a second thought, such as a game console.

[@Roxxxxxxxbottttter]

I have a similar story to John's. We were a poor family and my mom was always worried about the gift she was getting me not being good enough. But she always gave me such thoughtful gifts!

[@JRPGLife]

This is extremely wholesome and genuine. Thank you, Tyler and John, for sharing this story 😢

[@aeipee13]

What an amazing story! My game was Mother 3 on GBA. My son has autism and wouldn't sleep at night as a young child. Mother 3 got me through a rough time in my life, keeping me company through what felt like endless nights waiting for my son to stop stemming and go to sleep. John's tears reminded me of how important video games are to so many people out there. Everyone has a different reason to love videogames but shares the same emotional attachment.

[@pokekiller787x]

This is true love for gaming right here. You don't need the flashiest new thing or the most expensive console for it to capture your heart and for it to be special to you. As someone who had horrible experiences with my father and my mother being the one trying her best to make me happy with what we had, I truly appreciate this story.

[@Atariatari-ky9te]

The Sega Saturn and Mega Drive with the Mega CD are my favorite systems today but the PC Engine was my favorite as a kid.

[@chrisfonz4616]

This video hit me like Mike Tyson in his prime … reminded me of growing up poor. Watching my cousin every Christmas getting so much while I got so little but when I got my Super Nintendo I finally felt like I made it……

[@gamerbents215]

I envy John having a parent that cared. I grew up in an abusive home that both parents used and abused me. It sounds to me he had an amazing childhood and it hurts me but makes me happy to see for him

[@sbranham314]

Love you John. It takes a real man to show his emotions and how passionate they are. He may have had a hard time growing up but I think hes doing great with his kids now.

[@KristianDavis-u4u]

This hit me hard. I went through the same thing in ‘94 with the 3DO. My parents couldn’t afford it but my mum payed £20 a week for it, and unfortunately before it was payed off it was discontinued.

[@ronindebeatrice]

😂

[@Spartan77]

That is an amazing story. God bless Mr. Hancock's Mom, she is more awesome than she will ever realize or perhaps even admit.

[@BulldozerBilly]

Your channel makes me feel like if I ever have a son or a daughter, whether it be through video games or something else, I would love to have that friendship with my kid. The relationship you and your Dad had or the one you have with your daughter are inspiring! Love the vibes of your channel and it was cool seeing John on the show!

[@lordlycanthrope7059]

He always seems so happy and excited. Wish I could've given that dude a hug! We love ya, John!

[@Jshark82]

I feel this one I myself grew up poor and I remember how special it was too get new games when my mom had money they meant so much more too me

[@mikeing36]

TG-16 was a huge part of my childhood too. Loved that thing. And his mom was a great woman for doing what she did. ❤

[@adamessmyer4428]

While not as dire as John's story, this reminds me of when I was 13 in 2002. My dad had left his job a year earlier (on 9/11, 2001 oddly enough) and he was working odd jobs for over a year, and my mom worked full time as a manager at Walmart. My brother and I didn't expect an amazing Christmas that year since we were basically on one income as my dad was still trying to find work. Christmas morning comes and somehow we got a PS2 and a copy of Kingdom Hearts. I was so elated, I don't know how my parents pulled that off. But it gave me a deeper appreciation for what they might have sacrificed to make us kids happy, and I'll always remember that.

[@MyRetroLife]

Wonderful story! Thanks for sharing

[@j.rivera6402]

I wanna give him a hug too. My dad passed away at 40. My mom was 38 with three teenagers and she just ran the football down the road. She got me my N64 and worked overtime to make sure I got it. Mom’s are amazing. I miss her soooo much.

[@kingnacho69]

You shouldve asked him when his "museum" is opening.

[@demonsty]

ty man this was a great episode. i was a tg16 kid too and it was the last console i got from my parents before my mom died. she loved the tg16 and legendary axe 2 was her favorite game!

[@Canadian_Gamer]

Poverty and John Hancock are three words that don’t go good together. This guy has amassed a million dollar collection via humble donations.

[@adamgockowski5951]

I've been a fan of both channels for a while and I'm happy to see the community strengthen with beautiful memories

[@VirtualRobotsRevolt]

As a parent myself that hits home hearing how much John appreciated the gift even though it was a clearance item. Awesome when kids truly appreciate gifts from others. Also, Queensryche shout out! \m/

[@VirtualRobotsRevolt]

Wow, almost up to 100k subs! Congrats Tyler!

[@WoodenLegStudios]

Love the video and story! Glad my jacket and I could make it in the edit. What’s interesting is that that’s similar how I got my turbografx also, on clearance at Toysrus. Never had the opportunity to buy another game, so I only experienced Keith Courage and loved it. Years later I decided to collect the full set CIB to see all the great games that I missed out on. Love this community

[@Owazrim]

It's a touching story and thanks to you both for sharing it. It was great to be able to stop and chat with you guys at SEGE.

[@MyRetroLife]

Thanks for hanging out with us!

[@jmatt781]

It's funny, one of my favorite childhood memories with my Dad is playing through Double Dragon II on the NES with him back in the day. We had so much fun! 😊

[@nickparsons337]

I watch John's channel all the time and I love it. To see John outside of his usual cheery self really moved me. My mom worked her ass off to get me an NES on layaway from Walmart because so many kids that I went to school with already had one; and she did the same thing for me when all the other kids were getting the Super Nintendo. A good mom is the best thing anyone can be lucky enough to have.

[@dvdknight1]

Thank you My Retro Life. This was heart warming and such an amazing story John shared with you.

[@BlakeBickerstaff]

Some of my best memories growing up involved playing, renting, & buying video games. That's why I'm such a huge fan today. It was always a refuge for me as well. Thanks for sharing, both of you!

[@KurodaKyousuke]

Had the pleasure of meeting John at a convention a few years ago and I can honestly say he's as down to earth in person as he is in this video. Haha I guess that TurboFafx-16 opened the flood gates.

[@_BELMONT_]

thanks for sharing his story and good on him for finding the courage to talk about it

[@sebastianabsolution655]

where is the museum spatchcocc? 🤔🤔

[@Coin_Tengoku]

Very pleased that John shared this with the community. What an impactful story.

[@Tolbat]

As a child we had a 10-inch black and white TV and an Atari 2600 when others had cable, color, and nintendo, but I treasured it. Thank you, John, for sharing, this brought back so many memories for me. What an awesome story, and he felt joy and I am sure when his mom saw how excited he was over that system her heart was filled with joy.

[@gabbothegiver]

Great video, this is why this is my Favorite channel and my humble opinion the best and more honest channel in youtube. Thanks for sharing this, much love for you and John

[@angryretrogamer7313]

The smallest things can change our lives forever. I enjoyed John's story about his turbo Grafx 16. I didn't have that kind of relationship with my parents but i had an older brother that showed me my first video game. Now that my brother is gone i would give anything to have some of those memories on a video tape to watch and relive like your dad made with you. Thanks for the video and the channel.

[@rancid_]

What an amazing episode. It is so easy to overlook that KZbin influencers are real people with their own stories, we only look at them for what they are today. That is why I love your channel Tyler, it brings back the human aspect of our past. There is truly nothing else like your channel, wish you all the best for the future!

[@skRapKlan]

Thanks for sharing..! Memories like this is really important!

[@Smoloko123]

Am I the only one who noticed that's Zack Morris from saved by the Bell on the cover of the TurboGrafx console box?! 🎁😅

[@thecanadiantcg94]

This story was just amazing and reminded me up my late grandmother who bought me my very first console back in 2000 which was the DK64 jungle green system bundle and that game means so much to me. Every time I play the game or even look at the box art, I cry because I knew she bought this for me and my sister during a time when my parents didn't have the money or couldn't afford these things because of how little they were paid at their jobs. To this day I still cherish this system and DK64 so much. It may not be considered the best game on the system but it is absolutely my favorite and always gives me lots of joy when I come back to play the game.

[@wes8382]

John's story and emotion hit me right in the feels. My eyes are watering....it's just allergies ok! Yes, it is an important story to share.

[@cappa310]

I’m a little confuse. I’m not trying to be Presumptive here. But I’ve been a subscriber of John Hancock for a very long time. I really enjoy his videos. On his videos he always talk about all his fine memories of playing all these video game systems that I could only dream off. Numerous time I heard him mention how he had all these different game systems which is why I’m confused that now all of a sudden he’s talking about how poor he was. How can you be so poor and afford to buy all these game systems I only had one system and that was atari2600 at a time when everyone else had already had Genesis and Nintendo. and I got a game on my birthday or Christmas . That was the only time I’ve ever gotten games..

[@speedyink]

Dammit, got me in the feels. Just wanted to give John a big hug. We also had a poor few years growing up, especially after my parents divorced when I was about 4. Even though we had nothing my Mom did her best to not make us feel any less special then other kids. It's amazing what she was able to do, hearing about the things she had to do to keep us clothed and to feed us. I hope baggy clothes were actually a thing back then and it wasn't just cause we never had new clothes in the right size

[@JasonJR823]

This video and seeing John's appreciation and love for his mom is everything. Thank you both for sharing this.❤

[@totallygrim1]

John Hancock is a national treasure and so are all the parents who worked their fingers to the bone just to try and make their kids feel special now and again. I understand. I didn’t know how long consoles were out before we got them, or how expensive for the time they were til much later. Didn’t matter. It was amazing every time, whatever it was. Feeling so good you couldn’t possibly be happier in those moments.

[@paranormalskeptic3893]

I’ve been a fan of John’s channel for quite some time. I didn’t know his back story. Thanks for sharing that. Makes me an even bigger fan of his. We all have stories like that, whether it’s video games or other things. Mine has to do with roller hockey. I had just gotten into hockey when I was 14 back in the mid 1970s, and my friends all had roller skates and played roller hockey, they wanted me to join in. But my family was struggling financially and couldn’t afford the skates. I remember sitting on the porch, feeling sad about it. I accepted it, I knew the situation. And that day, it I’ll never forget it, she came to me on the porch, and said, “let’s go get you those skates”. I’ll never forget that moment. It’s an unbelievable moment of generosity. Who knows what she had to give up to get it done. I wore those skates out playing tons of roller hockey. My mom was an amazing fan of my video game enjoyment as well. She was getting me video games for birthdays and Christmases pretty much up to her last days. I miss her very much. She was such a wonderful person who would do anything for her kids and grandson.

[@exhumus]

Through to 1992 we had an Atari 2600, a Commodore VIC 20 and a Tandy TRS 80 CoCo 2 while all our friends graduated through their Nintendos and Master Systems, Super Nintendos and Mega Drives, Amigas and 386 and 486 PCs. When my Dad got a new job and they took us into a store to pick out a 486SX 33MHz PC of our own at Christmas of 1993 or 1994 I remember the surprise and excitement of finally being able to play the games our friends were playing. This story resonates hard. Thank you both for sharing.

[@zacharygirgenti3790]

Thanks for sharing this video. It makes me realize how special gifts can be and that I have a wonderful family. Especially my mother, who always provided for me.

[@Squiggles95]

Parents are under appreciated. Both of my parents always made sure to get what they could for me that I wanted. I lost my dad almost 2 months ago, and so many memories have been flooding back to me. One was how bad I wanted a Wii back when they were new. They were sold out for like a year here. I got games for the Wii for Christmas before the system because of how hard it was to find one. But my dad made sure to try and one day he camped outside a GameStop and got me my Wii finally. Surprised me when he came to pick me up for the weekend. I’ll never forget that. February 8th, 2008. I’m lucky to still have the console and I’ll never sell it.

[@deffloyd]

John is The Man.

[@YokiBrewster]

Thank you for the tears this morning😢😊 I love the immortal because he is always warm and welcoming!

[@GunnerGaming87]

I'm not crying you're crying! 😭John is so awesome. 💛

[@voxtek]

Games are our escape, for me having lost my brother, I understood that at a young age. And watching and learning from him growing up, it was his escape from his physical limitations. He couldnt walk, never had the chance to drive a car or play sports. Games allowed him to do anything and everything he always wanted to do. Hes been gone for 14, years and there are so many things I wish he could be here to experience and sometimes, yea its a new game. So to John, Tyler, every single one of you out there that has lost someone that has memories of games that link you to them. Know that you arent alone, and keep on gaming, keep your memories alive.

[@arcade1upuk767]

This is the 2nd video on your channel that's touched me and made me nearly burst into tears bro amazing content Al from the uk. Ps your dad rocks rip to him he would be proud of you for carrying on his passion in these now retro games bro keep up the good work

[@robertreeves5559]

I have a similar story and this really hit home with me.I lost my my Mother a year ago so it hit hard, brought tears to my eyes.

[@HoT_ToucH]

Awesome deep video and for my birthday! Thanks for the gift that keeps giving. Membership in the fam for life Tyler!

[@MyRetroLife]

Appreciate it Ruben!

[@_BELMONT_]

thanks for sharing your story. i get very emotional talking about my mother and our financial struggles until she met my wonderful step dad who helped us get back on our feet!

[@GenkiGamer009]

You got to love John. Such a great example for the hobby. Thanks for the video.

[@jiface]

Always throught John H seemed like a lovely and genuine person. What a sweetheart

[@yojimbo2569]

I felt the same way growing up. I lived in a trailer with a single mom too. My childhood system was the Nintendo 64. My N64 felt like having a best friend when you had no one else. It took my mind off of our situation and served as an equalizer between me and the kids who had more than me. I had a commonality with them we can nerd out over. Thanks for sharing this.

[@InfinityNerdStore]

Great story and so glad you shared. I’m subscribed to the both of you. I love the sharing you both do. It takes me back to my own childhood. My parents always did what they could for me and my brother. I was gifted an Atari 2600 when Nintendo was the big thing and I still remember having fun with it on a 4” tv screen. Nintendo would come later when my parents were able to afford it and that would lead me and my brother more into video gaming. You and John are so great for sharing! John had me tearing up, but I’m glad he wanted to tell this story.

[@onedrrgames]

Beautiful story and message. Sometimes it's the simple things that are the most memorable.

[@HashiriyaZ]

This was a very touching episode. Love all the MyRetroLife videos! Glad John shared this with the gaming community.

[@Steve_UK77]

I thought it was impossible to love John Hancock any more. I was wrong. Great video.

[@leonardwashington2422]

Alllllll your videos Tyler touch my heart. Our childhoods mirrored each other . I was born in 83. John's story has me choked up man. I didn't experience what he did. My childhood was more like urs Tyler. But John's story really hit me in my feelings..

[@DaBigCheeso]

Man, John's got me all teared up during work now. You guys were both awesome to chat with at SEGE. I know it's a trip but hope you can make it again next year too.

[@dcshoes841]

Been following Johns channel for years, not necessarily because retro collecting is my passion, but because John is a genuine person with a kind soul. Cowlitz Games for Kids is so cool too. Were all in this together and i appreciate when people are open and share their stories because it brings us closer together and we get to see the true beauty of humanity. Thank you, john, for sharing your story.

[@coryrabbit]

John is such a good dude. I love his channel. It reminds me of when I was a kid, and when I was in first grade in 95. My mom got my brother and me a Genesis super cheap. We didn't even know the Saturn or Playstation existed. We didn't care. We absolutely loved it. I played that thing until it broke in 1999, and I still love the Genesis to this day.