Roy Horn, most famously known for being one half of the Siegfried & Roy magic and entertainment act in Las Vegas,  passed away just a little over a week since testing positive for COVID-19.

“Roy was a fighter his whole life including during these final days,” Roy’s partner Siegfried Fischbacher said in a statement. “I give my heartfelt appreciation to the team of doctors, nurses and staff at Mountain View Hospital who worked heroically against this insidious virus that ultimately took Roy’s life.”

Roy was born Uwe Ludwig Horn in World War II Germany. His interest in animals began at a young age and he started interacting with exotic animals at the age of 10 through a family friend’s zoo. At the age of 13, Horn left school to work as a waiter on a cruise ship where he met Siegfried Fischbacher and launched his career in performing.

The two started off performing in the European nightclub circuit and then transitioned to using tigers in their shows. After being discovered in Paris by Tony Azzie, the duo took their talents to Las Vegas.

Roy and his partner Siegfried put on shows in Las Vegas for decades, and the two became a well-known act in Sin City for their use of big cats on the strip.

In 2003, the magician survived an attack by a 380 pound tiger that bit his neck during a show. The tiger dragged Horn off the stage and left him partially paralyzed.

The attack ended the duo’s act, although both have always maintained that the incident wasn’t an attack. Both Roy and Siegfried claim that the tiger saved Roy’s life by dragging him offstage while he was having a minstroke.

After the incident, Horn spent the rest of his life traveling, attending philanthropic events in Las Vegas and visiting his animals.

Today, the world has lost one of the greats of magic, but I have lost my best friend,” Fischbacher said. “From the moment we met, I knew Roy and I, together, would change the world. There could be no Siegfried without Roy, and no Roy without Siegfried.”

The magician was 75 years old.