Brian Henry Barczyk (September 6, 1969 – January 14, 2024)[2] was an American reptile enthusiast, YouTuber, and founder of the Reptarium Reptile Zoo and Legasea Aquarium.[3][4][5] He was also featured as a star on the TV series Venom Hunters by the Discovery Channel.[6][7] Barczyk had the third largest collection of snakes in the world with over 30,000 snakes and assisted with venom milking.[8]
Early life and career
Brian Henry Barczyk was born on September 6, 1969.[2] He grew fascinated with animals from a trip to the zoo at the age of two. Thereafter, Barczyk continued practicing his love for animals, specifically reptiles. He appeared on YouTube beginning in 2011, and starred on channels such as SnakeBytesTV. He collaborated with other YouTubers such as Jake Paul, Logan Paul, Marshmello, Liza Koshy, MrBeast, Coyote Peterson, and David Dobrik.[9]
Personal life
In 1992, Barczyk married Lori Ann Herman; they had two children, Noah and Jade. All have an active interest in reptiles.[10]
Illness and death
In 2023, Barczyk was diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer, which he revealed on his vlog.[3] On January 5, 2024, he publicly stated that he would be entering hospice care.[11] He died nine days later at his home in Michigan, at the age of 54.[2][12]
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