Reptile enthusiast Brian Barczyk died at the age of 54, after a brave battle with pancreatic cancer, the Reptarium Reptile Zoo confirmed Monday.
Barczyk spent his last 10 day in hospice care and shared an emotional goodbye video with his fans, just days before he passed away. His death was confirmed on Instagram, in a story shared by the Reptarium Reptile Zoo.
View this post on Instagram
They referred to Barczyk as an “exceptional” person and praised him for his ability to touch the lives of so many fans with his passion and adoration for the welfare of reptiles and all forms of wildlife.
“I appreciate you guys so much. It’s been an amazing journey,” Barcyzk wrote in an emotional video he recorded before he passed away.
“[It] has changed my life — each one of you changed my life, like you can’t believe,” he said, as he recorded his final goodbye from hospice care.
He shared a video reel of his life and journey, including clips that showed his fight through chemotherapy, his time on various shows with reptiles and animals, and snippets of his career, captured forever through the lens.
“For those of us who had the privilege of working alongside him, Brian’s absence leaves an immeasurable void,” the Reptarium Reptile Zoo wrote in their statement. “As we navigate this difficult time, we find comfort in the memories and the lasting light of Brian’s work. He will be deeply missed but indeed, never forgotten.”
Barczyk was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer jut a year before he succumbed to the disease.
He’s most famous for starring on the Discovery Channel’s “Venom Hunters,” and for his widely shared YouTube videos. He amassed an impressive 5.26 subscribers on YouTube alone, and has been known to collaborate with YouTube giants Logan and Jake Paul.
The passionate reptile professional was also the founder of Legasea Aquarium, and the collector of the third-largest number of snakes in the world. Barcyzk owned over 30,000 snakes as part of his personal collection. (RELATED: Harrison Ford Has A Snake Named After Him)
Barczyk is survived by his wife Lori, and their children, Noah and Jade.
His family is hosting a memorial in his honor, in Sterling Heights, Michigan, Wednesday, according to the zoo’s statment.