I'll admit, I was just as guilty as the next guy. I watched, like many others, just waiting for that time he was got. Of course the programs are prercorded...but that didn't spoil the entertainment value. I remember even when he got his thumb nipped and everyone was saying he lost a hand.
He truly was one of the good guys though. I have watched him so long, We, as viewers were introduced and welcomed into his family life...and I genuinely felt like I knew him. I am greatly saddened by his demise, but he went doing what he loves best. With a job like his...or rather, what he redefined it to be, tat was a real hazard that he accepted and to be honest about it, was just a matter of time. He'll be missed.