𝙋𝙎𝘼: heroes are not permitted ::: ｍａｎｄａｔｏｒｙ ｐｕｂｌｉｃａｔｉｏｎ

When news broke last week that 68th Hunger Games victor Patricia Valfierno sadly passed away, the nation was swept with a heartfelt grief for a woman who symbolised persistence and grit. However as the dust settles on a historic loss, the truth about District Five's hometown hero is anything but heroic.

Born into difficult circumstances, Valfierno established herself on the streets of Five as a common criminal - thieving, manipulating and even conning members of the public alongside her sister, Rose. This may have been done in the name of survival, but that is little excuse for breaking the law, and such erratic behaviour started both sisters down on a path of abuse, neglect, and tragic loss.

Following her victory, Patricia was placed on an educational curriculum to help her quell any feelings of anger or resentment towards our country, and to reconnect her with Panem's history. These lessons helped rectify her behaviour in the Games, and undo any harm her words in the arena might have done.

Her sister however was less educated and used Patricia's newfound fame to fund her criminal activity in Five. Reportedly, Patricia repeatedly paid for Rose to go to rehabilitation, an offer that her sister refused each time. This drove the siblings apart, and as we understand it they never repaired their relationship before the victors death.

Under this cloud of resentment, and with the stresses of representing her District, we at Victor's View can exclusively reveal the extent of Patricia Valfierno's ugly drug habit that developed in the wake of her sister's behaviour.

It's understood that from the years of the 80th until as recently as the 91st, Valfierno was heavily under the influence of several banned medical grade painkillers, cocaine, heroin, and even morphine.

Whilst under the influence, she refused to do her duty in mentoring District Five's reaped tributes, going as far as to outright no-show at reapings. At it's peak, her addiction was so bad that she rejected Lysander Mae when she was a tribute, instead turning to drink and drugs whilst in the Capitol.

Mae went on to win the 85th Quell, no thanks to her so-called mentor, and the two were never close following the younger victors win.

Her drug habit was well-known among her peers. Victor's view reached out to 59th Hunger Games victor Mace Emberstatt for comment on the matter. His response was solemn:

"Patricia always knew what she was about."

Whislt Emberstatt clearly doesn't condone the behaviour, he understood the problem Valfierno had, and sympathised deeply. His brow was furrowed and his eyes sunken. He knew that Patricia was suffering, and indulging herself in her addiction instead of seeking help.

District Fours Anatalia Morrisen commented:

"She walked on broken glass."

Indeed, and broken relationships too left in the wake of her destructive habit. Telling, that so many of her peers and fellow victors knew that she was sick, and chose to keep that from the rest of Panem whilst she was continually celebrated for her past achievements.

Whilst 84th Victor Beck Hailsham made his feelings very clear:

"I'm tired of hearing everybody talk about how to honor her."

His anger palpable, and understandable among the newer Victors who are all doing their bit to support young tributes and don't want to see names like Valfierno's celebrated whilst the truth was plain to see.

Had this information be made publicly known, would we have allowed our fine young District Five tributes to look up to such an ill-fitting role model? In truth, they deserved a mentor who could give them quality attention and care, instead of seeing them as an inconvenience

That is the inconvenient truth of it, and had Victor's View come into this information sooner, it would have been our duty to press Valfierno for a response. As it happens, with her passing and the celebration of her life, we uphold that duty to give the truth to Panem plainly:

Mourn her loss, yes, but understand this - Patricia Valfierno was no hero.