Hunter Burton Memorial
Gaming to Prevent Suicide
What This Event Means To Me: Erin’s Story
This is a piece written by Erin Giddings, a friend of Hunter’s and also a valued member of our event team. This is his (mostly unfiltered) story about what our annual event means to him. With all of the hype surrounding the tournament and the prizes, we wanted to share a more personal perspective as a reminder of why we work so hard to make the Hunter Burton Memorial Open happen each year!
What This Event Means To Me: Erin’s Story
I have had the honor and the pleasure of being involved with the Hunter Burton Memorial Open since its beginning more than 5 years ago. I recall the day sitting at a BBQ joint with the other people involved and hearing the idea of what the Burton family wanted to do to honor and remember their son. I was excited at the opportunity to finally make a difference for a cause I was passionate about!
To start this story however we have to go back farther than just knowing Hunter Burton. The full picture starts in 2008 when I opened a game store in North Texas. At the time I had been involved in the gaming industry for over 9 years and was excited to start a new chapter of my career as a business owner. A journey that would prove to be very difficult.
I lost almost everything shortly after starting the business. My fiance left me for someone else, financially things were bad, and I had some serious health issues building behind the scenes. I personally struggled with depression and thoughts of suicide. With the help of people like my mother, my store manager Mike Stover, and some new friends made through the store, I was able to move forward and get back on my feet.
One of those friends was Brandon Mills. Brandon was one of the brightest parts of my time in the gaming industry. He picked me up when I was down, he had a beer with me when I needed it, and he would light up a room when he was there. B or B-Mills as we called him became a close friend and one I will cherish the rest of my life.
There came a day however that I didn’t think was possible. I hadn’t seen Brandon in almost a month. He was busy with work and working on a promotion, I was busy running a business. On this day however I opened up the store email and a very direct email informed me that Brandon had passed away.
I thought it was a joke, someone’s cruel prank. I showed my manager and said, “no way, who would be such an A$% to do something like that!?” Then it hit me… it wasn’t a prank.
When Brandon’s best friend Collin called me to explain, I found out that Brandon had gone out with co-workers that night and seemed happy as can be. Celebrating the raise he just got at work, why wouldn’t he be. That night Brandon went home and took his own life. He left a note to his family that said, “There is nothing you could have done, I’ve wanted this for a long time.” It was utterly heartbreaking for me that Brandon was someone who helped pick me up and keep me going, and all the while he was struggling to do the same.
I remember sitting in the funeral home during Brandon’s service. I was in the front row and every time they began singing church hymns I broke out crying. Just feet away from me in that casket was a friend that saved me, and I couldn’t save him. I helped carry his casket to the grave site and I just kept looking at his mother and thinking, “I can’t even imagine the pain she feels. I can’t understand how this could happen.”
William Brandon Mills passed away on May 4th, 2011. He was 26 years old.
So let’s fast forward now. Hunter Burton was a Magic player in my store for a few years. He was a member of our first store sponsored MtG team and always had what I called his “entourage” with him. There were always some Magic players following him around. I my experience with him he was always respectful to me and in the times I got to know him he struck me as a pretty nice guy.
I remember one night I was outside the shop talking to a new player who was discouraged due to not doing very well in an event. Hunter was nearby smoking a cigarette at the time. I told the new player that “Hey, it takes time to get better at these card games. Time, practice and patience is the key.” Hunter was just sitting there smoking his cigarette and I looked over and said, “Hey Hunter, how long did it take you to get good at playing Magic? I’m trying to explain that people shouldn’t get discouraged not being good right away.” You know what Hunter said? “Uh, I was just kinda naturally good at it, but yeah practice doesn’t hurt.”
I look back now and laugh at that every time. He wasn’t trying to be a jerk, he was just being Hunter, straightforward and honest. He wasn’t wrong by the way, he was just naturally good at Magic the Gathering.
The rest of Hunter’s story is one better told by his close friends and family. However when I learned of Hunter’s passing and received the invite to Hunter’s funeral I was once again heartbroken. The moment I pulled into the funeral home parking lot, the memories of Brandon came rushing back. I walked in, I sat down, and I couldn’t stop thinking about why these two young men’s lives had ended so soon and what could I have done. After the service I walked out, said pleasantries to friends and family and then left fairly quickly. I wanted to stop by Brandon’s grave and pay respects.
Yes, you read that correctly. I was sitting in the same funeral home, at the same cemetery to see another friend, a customer, a gamer, put into the ground way before their time.
When someone asks me, why do you volunteer for the Hunter Burton Memorial Open my answer is easy. I do not want anyone to ever have to sit and think, “What if I could have done something?! What if I had just known?!” My goal is to spread the word to everyone I can, that no matter what you are going through or what life has thrown at you, there are options to help and there are people who care. Just speak up!
Dona, Greg, and Casey Burton have honored me with a platform to help spread this awareness and to honor their son in the best way possible. Alongside the other volunteers, the ever-growing list of sponsors, and all the friends and family that support the event, I am confident we are making a difference in someone’s life… and that’s all I need. Just one life to be saved so that a friend doesn’t have to suffer the way I did and that a person doesn’t have to hurt the way Brandon and Hunter had.
I want to bring gamers together and talk about a topic nobody wants to discuss. I want to make sure we stand together as support for women and men in the gaming community who might be suffering. I want to have a difficult conversation without people feeling uncomfortable admitting they are hurting or depressed. I want to let people know it is and will be okay.
What does this event mean to me you ask? It means everything.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story and by doing so show support for this cause. I truly hope that regardless of if you play games or not, you will stop by the Hurst Conference Center on Sunday February 25th and join us as we celebrate Hunter Burton and spread awareness that hopefully helps save a life.
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT SERIES: Darkhound Studios
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT SERIES: Darkhound Studios
All of us on the HBMO staff are pleased to announced our sponsor spotlight series. Each week we will bring light to one or more of the incredible sponsors that helps make our event so successful. These companies have graciously donated money, products, time, and advertising to our event and to the cause of spreading awareness for suicide prevention.
This spotlight goes to Darkhound Studios who for the second year in a row will be supplying a custom top eight playmat for the Modern Format main event. In addition, Darkhound has made the custom fifth anniversary playmat that is for sale in our web store as well as being a part of our VIP pre-registration package.
Darkhound Studios LLC is a company based in Arlington, Texas that specializes in custom card game supplies. Their products include foil tokens, playmats, dicebags, and much more. Owned and operated by Jamie Gary and William Strzelecki, both avid Magic the Gathering players, the duo travels across the United States to set up and promote at MtG events. Competitive Magic players may also recognize their items from several Star City Games Open events they have attended as a vendor.
The Hunter Burton Memorial staff would like to thank Darkhound Studios for their continued contribution to our annual event and assisting in spreading awareness for the prevention of suicide. You can visit their website at the link below or stop by their booth at the 2018 Hunter Burton Memorial Open to check out all the products they have to offer.
DARKHOUND STUDIOS WEBSITE: CLICK HERE
2018 Pre-Registration Contest
Want to win a FREE sealed booster display of Unstable? All you have to do is pre-register for any of the four large events happening at this year’s Hunter Burton Memorial Open to be entered into the drawing!
All players who Pre-register through February 16th, 2018 will be entered. Prizes will be awarded as follows:
Grand Prize: 1 Sealed Booster Display of Unstable, 1 EXTREMELY limited custom foil Huntmaster token
Runner-Up: Two lucky winners will receive 1 EXTREMELY limited custom foil Huntmaster token each.
This is one of the only ways to obtain these Huntmaster tokens outside of the VIP Registration Package and with less than 150 made they are sure to be sought after!
We will announce a winner on Monday, February 19th so make sure you are subscribed to our blog (located on the front page) to get notified when the announcement goes live. If you haven’t already pre-registered but want to enter the drawing, click the link below so you can get in on the action!
Pre-Register HERE
We look forward to seeing you at the 5th annual Hunter Burton Memorial Open on February 25th, 2018 in Hurst!
The 2018 HBMO Will Be Streamed LIVE!
We have a major announcement! This year for the first time ever, the 2018 Hunter Burton Memorial Open will be streamed LIVE! Thanks to our sponsor Wilkinson Rhodes Events, we will have live coverage all day of the Modern Main Event with additional coverage of the Standard PPTQ $1k and Legacy tournament!
Coverage will include Jeff Zandi and Brian “Motumbo” Augustine on commentary with additional sideline reporting from Kaesi Corne. There will be interviews with world renown players like Gerry Thompson as well as event staff and members of the Burton family.
Spread the word, the 2018 HBMO can be watched from anywhere in the world! Subscribe to our Twitch channel now to make sure you are notified about new videos and when our live coverage begins!
Sunday, February 25th – Live Coverage Begins @ 10:30am CST
HUNTER BURTON MEMORIAL OPEN TWITCH CHANNEL: HERE
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT SERIES: Haus Of Magic YouTube Channel
2018 SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT SERIES: Haus of Magic
All of us on the HBMO staff are pleased to announced our sponsor spotlight series. Each week we will bring light to one or more of the incredible sponsors that helps make our event so successful. These companies have graciously donated money, products, time, and advertising to our event and to the cause of spreading awareness for suicide prevention.
Today we highlight Haus of Magic!
Haus of Magic is the creation of married Magic the Gathering couple Cassie and Erik Hauschildt. Literally speaking this couple is a “Magic the Gathering Couple” with Erik even having proposed during a game of Magic the Gathering!
The Haus of Magic YouTube channel was started in October of 2017 after Cassie and Erik found multiple people at Magic events mentioning how they wish their significant other would play games with them. The question quickly became “Why not?” Erik and Cassie now on a mission, want to share their philosophy that “Couples who Game Together Stay Together.”
With a strong focus on Magic the Gathering, the channel features a diverse variety of videos. From cracking packs, coverage of general Magic the Gathering news, and videos aimed at informing new players (and a few videos of random nerdiness thrown in) their channel has something for everyone. No matter what the theme or the audience of a video, Cassie and Erik always leave viewers laughing and strive to give everyone a passion to try Magic, at least once.
Since starting the channel, they have successfully introduced numerous couples to the game of Magic and have created quite a few new fans of the popular trading card game. Cassie’s personal goal is to be a role model and friend to young girls who are beginning their journey through the planes. Erik is an amazing supporter of this initiative, having started by teaching Cassie’s 8 year-old niece how to play.
Players of any level are encouraged to reach out to Cassie and Erik via twitter, email, or any other platform for sharing interest in Magic the Gathering, general friendship, or even just to talk.
The Hunter Burton Memorial Open is an important event for Cassie as the cause of suicide prevention and awareness hits close to home for her personally. The HBMO team is very thankful to have the Haus of Magic channel on board as a sponsor for the 2018 event and look forward to making a difference together!
You can check out their channel:
CLICK HERE FOR HAUS OF MAGIC ON YOUTUBE
T-Shirt & Playmat: Get Yours Today!
For the first time ever we are showing the full design of the 2018 Hunter Burton Memorial Open T-shirt, available now in our web store!
Thanks to the T-shirt Guys in Grapevine, Texas for helping us produce our charity event shirts for the last 5 years!
Also available in our web store is the 2018 HBMO 5th Anniversary Playmat! This is the first time ever we have had a custom playmat available to purchase. This unique playmat has a center focus on an artist render of Hunter playing Magic the Gathering. On the left is art done by comic book artist and painter Vo Nguyen. To the right is the memorable image painted on Hunter’s father’s custom Harley Davidson motorcycle depicting Hunter’s favorite Magic card, Eternal Witness.
Thank you to Dark Hound Studios for this beautiful playmat and their contribution to the 2018 Hunter Burton memorial Open!
These two items can be acquired in one of two ways… First, each is available in our webstore for sale individually. Second, the VIP Registration package offers both of these items with additional perks including a custom Huntmaster token, 5 years of HBMO poker chips (1 from each year to date) and discounted entry into the main event of the 2018 HBMO!
You can purchase these items and/or your registration package here:
Hunter Burton Memorial Open
WEB STORE
Remember, the event is on Sunday February 25th at the Hurst Conference Center in Hurst, Texas! Doors open at 8:00am to the public!
2018 SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT SERIES: Doc’s Comics & Games
2018 SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT SERIES: Doc’s Comics & Games
All of us on the HBMO staff are pleased to announced our sponsor spotlight series. Each week we will bring light to one or more of the incredible sponsors that helps make our event so successful. These companies have graciously donated money, products, time, and advertising to our event and to the cause of spreading awareness for suicide prevention.
This week we highlight Doc’s Comics & Games in Frisco, TX. Since opening in 2015, Doc’s Comics and Games has strived to foster a tight knit & growing gaming community for Frisco and it’s surrounding cities. Offering unique events every day of the week, Doc’s wants to guarantee there will be something for everyone no matter what format they enjoy!
With everything you need for hours of exciting reading and table top fun, a wide selection, and knowledgeable friendly staff, Doc’s is your go to shop for all things nerdy! Looking for a place to play? Doc’s HUGE game room is open to the public.
Mention Doc’s involvement with the Hunter Burton Memorial Open and save 10% Off your MTG singles purchase through Feb 24th!
The staff of the Hunter Burton Memorial Open would like to thank Murdock Belt (owner of Doc’s) for his tremendous contributions to the 2018 event! In addition, Doc’s will be one of the four vendors at this year’s tournament so we encourage everyone to stop by their booth and say thank you for helping make this event possible!
Check out Doc’s on Facebook: HERE
Visit their website: www.docsgames.com
Doc’s Comics & Games
2787 Preston Road #1120
Frisco, TX 75034
P: 214-494-4443
Why the Watch?! – The History of the Champion’s Watch
THE HISTORY OF THE CHAMPION’S WATCH
Each year the Hunter Burton Memorial Open awards the main event winner with a luxury wrist watch valued around $1,000. In previous years this was but a footnote to the big money cash prizes also being awarded. This being our fifth anniversary and being that the watch is one of the most sentimental aspects of our event, we decided to make sure it was a highlighted point for the 2018 tournament.
“Every year I get asked why would someone give out a watch at a Magic tournament… Just give out more cash. Every year I explain that without the watch, there is no event.”
– Erin Giddings (HBMO Event Coordinator)
To understand the history of the watch would mean we have to go back to well before there was a Hunter Burton Memorial Open. In fact, we would need to go back to looking at Hunter and his sister Casey several years before Hunter’s tragic passing. There is no better way to do that then a quick video from Dona Burton (Hunter’s mother) as to where the importance of the watch started:
Now before we talk about the 2018 watch, let’s take a look back at the previous HBMO tournaments and the watches of the champions!
2014 – Year 1
In 2014, the Hunter Burton Memorial Open was born and with it the first luxury wrist watch to be given away to the top competitor of the day. Hand picked by Hunter’s sister Casey, the year one watch was a true swiss masterpiece. This legendary Tissot watch was valued over $2000 and embodied excellence!
2015 – Year 2
In 2015, the Burton family out did themselves by once again choosing an elegant and stylish watch to award the champion. In this case the watch was one of Hunter’s preferred brands, Movado. This second year watch was something to treasure! While it didn’t stand out as excessive, this watch absolutely made a statement.
2016 – Year 3 / 2017 – Year 4
In 2016, the trend continued with a Movado, offering a sleek black Movado Bold series watch to that year’s champion. In fact, the Bold design was so popular that it would be the watch of choice for two years straight. Our 2017 event bolstered a Black Movado Bold series with blue accents.
2016: 
2017: 
2018 – Year 5
The 2018 watch is a truly special watch. This year’s watch was chosen by the Burton family and members of the HBMO staff to celebrate the event’s fifth anniversary. Sticking with one of Hunter’s favorite brands, the 2018 watch is one of Movado’s finest. It has a unique elegant design that differs from your typical luxury wrist watch. In addition, the 2018 fifth anniversary watch is valued at nearly $2,500! This is a watch the winner can be proud to flaunt!
drumroll please…………………….
The 2018 Hunter Burton Memorial Open 1st Place Champion’s Watch:
(Movado Red Label, Alligator Leather w/ Black Dial)
“We are so excited about the fifth anniversary event and this watch embodies the style of luxury we try to bring forward at the Hunter Burton Memorial Open. This would have been a watch Hunter was proud to wear!” – Dona Burton (Hunter’s mother)
Join us on February 25th, 2018 at the Hurst Conference Center in Hurst, Texas for our fifth anniversary Hunter Burton Memorial Open! Check out the ‘Event Details’ page for more information or you an pre-register by clicking the link below.
PRE-REGISTER HERE
2018 SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT SERIES: Generation X Comics and Games
2018 Sponsor Spotlight Series: Generation X Comics and Games
All of us on the HBMO staff are pleased to announced our sponsor spotlight series. Each week we will bring light to one or more of the incredible sponsors that helps make our event so successful. These companies have graciously donated money, products, time, and advertising to our event and to the cause of spreading awareness for suicide prevention.
This Sponsor Spotlight goes to Generation X Comics and Games in Bedford, Texas. For nearly 25 years the store has been filing the comic and gaming needs of the North Texas area. In that time, Generation X has grown to become one of the largest comic/gaming stores in the Dallas / Fort Worth metroplex offering wide ranges of products across the pop culture market. Known for fostering a friendly and caring community, donating to schools and veterans programs, and creating a safe-space for every type of person, Generation X has been a mainstay to gamers and hobby enthusiasts of all kinds for many years.
Generation X is routinely giving back to the community by running charitable events and this year they have stepped up to be a major sponsor of the Hunter Burton Memorial Open. For our 2018 event they have kindly donated the proceeds and prizing from the Standard PPTQ $1k tournament to aiding the non-profit in spreading awareness of and need for suicide prevention in the gaming community!
If that isn’t enough, Generation X is offering an in-store promotion for all players of the Hunter Burton Memorial! If you mention this article in store, you can receive the following discount:
Purchase $100 in Magic the Gathering singles, get 15% off non-foil cards and 25% off foil cards.
(Offer valid in store only. Must mention Sponsor Spotlight Series article and Hunter Burton Memorial Open. Valid until February 28th, 2018.)
All of us on the HBMO team would like to say THANK YOU to Wayne and Tabitha (owners of Generation X Comics and Games) for being a sponsor of the 2018 Hunter Burton Memorial Open! Their contribution helps make our event possible.
Please visit them and show your thanks and support!
Find them online HERE
Visit their store:
Generation X Comics and Games
3504 Harwood Rd, Ste 304
Bedford, Texas 76021
P: (817) 540-5556
2018 SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT SERIES: Retro 1951
2018 SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT SERIES: Retro 1951
All of us on the HBMO staff are pleased to announced our sponsor spotlight series. Each week we will bring light to one or more of the incredible sponsors that helps make our event so successful. These companies have graciously donated money, products, time, and advertising to our event and to the cause of spreading awareness for suicide prevention.
Our first spotlight goes to Retro 1951 based in Richardson, Texas. For our 2018 event, Retro 51 donated their top selling style of fine writing pen to the top eight players of the Modern Main Event, The Tornado. This sleek and unique design models fine writing, elegance and style while being one of the coolest writing pens on the market.
Each player in the top eight will receive one Stealth Black Tornado pen.
Retro 51 makes quality products and we hope that you will show them your thanks for being a 2018 Hunter Burton Memorial Open sponsor by visiting their website. Once you write with a Retro 51 pen, you won’t want to write with anything else!
DONATE NOW
Charitable Donations
Donate to the cause! Every little bit helps us increase our outreach program, spread awareness, and help educate gaming community members about suicide.
$5.00
Make a Donation Now
Charitable Donations
Donate to the cause! Every little bit helps us increase our outreach program, spread awareness, and help educate gaming community members about suicide.
$5.00
Hunter Burton Memorial 