Billy Glide is dead, and a longtime friend said the veteran porn star was bitten by a snake and refused to seek medical attention.

Friend and fellow porn star Alana Evans said she heard the news of Billy’s death through another friend, who said the 43-year-old performer was bitten by a snake while helping a friend move.

Evans said she was devastated by the news.

“I’ve known Billy my entire career,” Evans told AVN. “He was part of the reason I got into the business. To hear this kind of news is just so shocking and sad.”

The death of Billy Glide appeared to be a tragic but preventable accident. Evans said the person he was helping move had a pet rattlesnake.

“I don’t know if the snake got out, or if something else happened or what, but Billy was bitten by the snake,” Evans said.

Evans said Billy Glide didn’t want to get medical help for the snake bite.

“I guess he went to sleep and just didn’t wake up this morning. It’s the craziest and saddest way to go, and it could have been prevented.”

Glide was well-liked within the adult film community, his IMDB.com bio noted:

Since his debut in the mid-90s, Billy has been working for various companies and in numerous scenes. He is regarded among peers and fans alike as being one of the most reliable porn stars in the business today is also one of the most well-liked in the porn community.

Many adult film stars took to Twitter and other social media to mourn Glide’s passing, remembering him as a good friend and reliable performer.

Glide had 699 acting credits to his name over the course of a 10-year career. Before Billy Glide died, he was scheduled to shoot a porn scene for the website Spizoo.com.