Siegfried Fischbacher, who was one half of the legendary musician act Siegfried and Roy, passed away on Wednesday in Las Vegas after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 81 years-old. This came months after the death of his stage partner Roy Horn, who died due to complications from COVID-19 back in May.

Fischbacher’s reps confirmed his death to The New York Post, saying that he had been terminally ill with pancreatic cancer and recently underwent an operation to remove a tumor. He had been released from the hospital earlier this month so that he could go home, where he was cared for by two hospice workers.

Born in Germany, Fischbacher met Horn in 1957 aboard the TS Bremen cruise ship. They immediately bonded over Horn’s pet cheetah, Chico, which he had secretly smuggled on board. Fischbacher was working on the ship as a steward and entertainer, and he enlisted Horn, who was the captain’s bellboy, as his assistant in his nightly magic show. After their first performance, Horn asked one question that would alter their futures forever: “Siegfried, disappearing rabbits is ordinary, but can you make a cheetah disappear?”

Over the next decade, Fischbacher and Horn designed an act that blended tiger-taming with David Copperfield-esque magic and a gaudy dose of Liberace glitz. They made their debut in Las Vegas in 1967 and quickly became staples of Sin City. In 1989, they achieved global superstardom with the launch of their $30-million, 14-year-run at the Mirage theater.

“We did what we did out of love, not for success or money,” Fischbacher once said. “We had a deep respect for each other. We literally raised each other: I created Roy and Roy created Siegfried.”

All was going well for the pair until 2003, when a 400-pound Siberian tiger named Mantacore sunk its teeth into Horn’s neck during a live performance at the Mirage, ending his career forever on his 59th birthday. In 2019, both Fischbacher and Horn said that they had made peace with the devastating incident that destroyed both of their careers.

“I really don’t miss it,” Fischbacher said. “We have been on stage in Vegas just by themselves for 40 years on stage, you know? And we had the most successful show in the history of Las Vegas anyway.”

Even after his performing days were over, Fischbacher could be found most days at The Secret Garden of Siegfried & Roy at The Mirage, where loved mesmerizing fans with even a simple coin trick.

Until the very end of his life, Fischbacher kept the same motto: “In magic, anything is possible.”