Longtime reptile keeper and breeder and kingsnake.com member Rico Walder, known for his passion for green tree pythons, lost his long fight with brain cancer yesterday.

Rico always brought out the best in people, and watching the reptile world pull together, with dozens of fundraisers at reptile events coast to coast over a multi-year period, showed just how special he was to our community. His fight was our fight as well, and to lose him makes the reptile world seem a colder, emptier place for all.

Rest in peace Rico. You are already missed.