In a statement on their website, Rooster Teeth has confirmed that Monty Oum, the animator behind the popular Hailoid and Dead Fantasy fan films, in addition to creating the American made anime, RWBY, has passed away due to complications from an allergic reaction during minor surgery.

Oum first caught the attention of gamers when his Halo and Metroid crossover film, Haloid, went viral. From there, the artist got picked up as an animator for Midway, working on titles such as Afro Samurai, before eventually becoming an animator at Rooster Teeth, namely as a contributor to their popular Red vs. Blue series. After becoming known for his much acclaimed fan works, Oum finally split off into original properties, creating RWBY as part of the RT network, developing a cult following amongst the anime fandom.

His sudden death is one that’s felt throughout the gaming world, showing how much of a mark one can make with such little time with only a little imagination, some big ideas and a wealth of ambition. While I’ll always remember him as the one who made Dead Or Alive look as amazing as I always knew it was based on its deceptively deep lore, the mark he’s left us between his multiple projects will have a lasting effect, making us wonder how many amazing projects could have been born if he was affording another 32 years.

Oum is survived by his wife, Sheena. His family is accepting donations at their GoFundMe page to help cover outstanding medical bills. Outside of donating, Rooster Teeth said it best when writing,

“In lieu of flowers or gifts, we ask that you simply do something creative. Use your imagination to make the world a better place in any way that you can. If you know Monty like we do, then you know he would certainly be doing that if he were able to.”