South African celebrity YouTuber and conservationist Graham 'Dingo' Dinkelman dies after snakebite
A South African celebrity YouTuber and wildlife conservationist has died after he was bitten by a venomous snake.
Snake handler Graham 'Dingo' Dinkelman was bitten by the reptile and died on Saturday, 26 October, according to local media reports in South Africa.
The father of three, from Pietermaritzburg, seen in this footage handling a dangerous cobra, was bitten by the snake about a month ago.
His wife Kirsty said that because he was allergic to the reptile's venom, he went into anaphylactic shock.
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He was in an induced coma in intensive care in hospital under heavy sedatives with the hope that his body would recover.
Local media reports have said that tributes have been pouring in, with his wife Kirsty saying: "Dingo fought incredibly hard throughout this very difficult period. We know that he was fighting to be here with us and we are so grateful for this. Sadly, despite his strength and resilience, my beloved husband passed away peacefully today, surrounded by his family."
She thanked well-wishers for their support, saying: "Today [Saturday] is one month since the incident, and we have experienced such comfort and love from your messages and prayers from all over the world."
Dingo grew popular for his daring rescues of dangerous reptiles and had amassed more than 100,000 YouTube subscribers and over 600,000 Instagram fans.
Story: NewsX