Roy Horn, of illusionist duo Siegfried & Roy, died Friday of complications from coronavirus. He was 75.
Horn's publicist confirmed the news to the Review-Journal, about a week after the Las Vegas legend confirmed he had contracted the disease.
"Today, the world has lost one of the greats of magic, but I have lost my best friend," his longtime business partner Siegfried Fischbacher said in a statement. "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."
Horn and Fischbacher headlined a wildly popular show at the Mirage Resort and Casino from 1990 to 2003. The duo was most known for its magician act that incorporated trained big cats. However, the show came to halt in fall 2003, when a white tiger attacked Horn during a live performance. The animal bit the magician on the neck and dragged him off stage, resulting in career-ending injuries. He would spend the following 16 years rehabilitating.
"Roy was a fighter his whole life including during these final days," Fischbacher's statement continued. "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."
