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He didn't form a political party, he didn't lead a revolution, and he didn't even write a book, but tonight we note the passing of 61-year-old Reynaldo Smith. That's right, the man we call the Snakeman lost his battle with a terminal illness on Sunday. Sure, Smithy may not be a national hero, or any kind of publicly sainted figure, but in the generation of television, Smithy became a legend on the street, a classic Belize City character. Keith Swift has more on the life and times of the man who feared no snake.

Keith Swift Reporting,
This is the Reynaldo (Renaldo) Smith you saw numerous times on Channel 7. He fearlessly tamed wild snakes in minutes. He was our Snakeman, Belize's authority on snakes and whenever he was needed, Smitty was on call.

He was there the afternoon of October 19th 2004 when this 7-foot boa constrictor was found in a backyard on Regent Street. Smitty calmly hugged the 50-pound reptile.

Smitty,
[October 19th,2004] "You could get bite with this and you rub a little alcohol on the bite and that will heal right up. I have gotten so many bites from them that it doesn't even bother me again."

We took Smitty at his word. Again it was classic Smitty on call for us at Channel 7 just last month when this pink boa constrictor was found in our back yard at mile and a half on the Western Highway. Smitty tamed the wild and angry boa by simply putting its head into his mouth.

Smitty,
[June 2006] "Yes these don't do anything." [Putting head of snake in his mouth]

Last week we met Smitty at his usual spot on North Front Street but Smitty wasn't mingling with tourists. Something was wrong, something was very wrong. He was weak, lying on this bench and was barely able to talk. Smitty was losing a battle he began to fight in early 2005. He first us told about it in this candid interview on November 23 of 2005.

Smitty,
[November, 2005] "I got HIV. I didn't know I had caught it until I went to test myself. I don't see any shame in it and I cannot give anybody…like me and you are talking, you can't get it from me."

61-year-old Smitty lost his battle with an aids related illness at 10 am on Sunday. Though he was too weak to talk to us, last week Wednesday Smitty found energy to deal with his pink boa constrictor that had just given birthday to 60 baby snakes. That is the last video we have of Smitty alive and it is perhaps how the urban legend wants to be remembered, not as this weakened man on a bench but as the Snakeman; fearless, unbroken and legendary.

Smithy died at his usual hangout on North Front Street in the presence of his 11 year old daughter. A family member told us today that Smithy had stopped taking his anti-retroviral medication and grew despondent over the last couple weeks. His funeral is scheduled for Wednesday at St. Mary's Church. Anyone who can help his family with funeral arrangements can contact them at 661-6879.