Lost Hope in crypto after having 88 ETH ($165k) stolen in seconds.

I feel compelled to write this post, not as a plea for sympathy or help, but as a venting outlet for the despair and frustration I'm currently grappling with. You may have come across my previous post on r/ethereum about my ETH being stolen about ten days ago.

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When it first happened, I was under a wave of denial. It didn't seem all that bad. I thought to myself, 'this is just a setback, I can recover from this, this denial has slowly started too drift away the more of my ETH I watch pass through random wallets, Tornado Cash which makes this whole thing feel so real.

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Up until Thursday the funds hadn't moved, and until they moved I was hoping that maybe I had accidentally sent the funds myself somewhere, though I knew in the back of my mind this isn't what happened, it felt better when it wasn't in my face.

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Everyday since then, I watch my stolen ETH slowly drain from the thief's wallet, first in small amounts and then in larger chunks. This morning, I woke up to notification of another 10 ETH, roughly $18,000. It is so much worse than just losing some crypto. The helpless fucking feeling of watching all my crypto being taken and sent around by someone else. It kind of feels like if you were trapped in a glass box and watched as someone robbed your home and not only can you not do anything, no one can hear your pleas and even if they did, couldn't help you.

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This feels so much more than just stolen ETH, it was a significant step towards a goal my partner and I have been tirelessly working towards - our first home. This asshole didn't just rob me of my digital assets, he stole our future, our optimism, and my faith in the blockchain.

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I'm not writing this shit down for pity or sympathy. I understand that this is a Reddit after all and some of you might see this as an opportunity to sit on your moral high horse and criticize me or even mock my pain. But, please remember, behind this post is a real person grappling with real consequences of horrendous proportions. I'm aware what I could have done differently but I didn't, and it doesn't change the fact that this is awful. I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

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This whole fucking ordeal has left my faith in cryptocurrency deeply fractured. It's pushed me to the edge, making me question the very foundation of this system and the integrity of humanity itself. I've always been a believer in the freedom that crypto provided, man. Loved the idea of having full control over my money. But this shitshow makes me see things differently. Now, I realize why traditional banks are insured, why established financial systems have recovery mechanisms. It's not a safety net for stupidity, but a fucking shield against the innate evil and selfishness of some piss-poor excuses for human beings. I feel nothing but pure, seething hatred for the lowlife who took what was mine.

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I know some of you, maybe a majority even are thinking to yourselves, "Shit like this could never happen to me, I get it, I would have scrolled by this post feeling the same way. However I wasn't concerned about my wallets security, I had 12 ETH sitting in my wallet for 12+ hours prior to the 111 ETH deposit. You think I thought for a moment that my wallet had been compromised I would have just carelessly thrown over $100 grand in crypto into it. I wouldn't.. But here we are. Don't learn the hard way like I did. This pain, this rage, this goddamn helplessness - you don't want it. Trust me.

Anyone who has gone through this and made it out on the other side, I could really use a pep-talk or some sort of hope right now, because right now all hope feels lost.

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Anyway thanks for listening.

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TLDR: My ETH was stolen, crushing my dreams of a home and shaking my faith in crypto. Sharing to warn others, and in need of hope or advice from those who've been through this

Update: I want to express my deepest gratitude for the overwhelming positive response, encouragement, and support I’ve received from this community. In moments of despair, it’s heartwarming to witness the kindness and compassion of strangers. Your sentiments have truly made a difference in how I’m navigating this challenging time.

For those genuinely interested in assisting me to unravel this mystery, I encourage you to contact me privately. However, I kindly ask that only those genuinely committed to understanding the situation and listening without jumping to conclusions reach out. I value informed insights and would appreciate working together to get to the bottom of this.