Doug-

I did a little research on Awerbuck and heard his voice/accent; later found enough of a bio to confirm his origins and that he seems to have been a special forces soldier in South Africa prior to the change in government in the mid-1990's. That he'd immigrate here was probably a good idea.

I think I gleaned enough about him to guess the reasons for his death, the manner of it. As he seems to have had friends here, I won't post about that. The info is available if one looks. But ill health seems to have been the underlying cause.

I agree that snake boots or gaiters are probably a really good idea in certain areas. Coral snakes have short fangs and may not be able to pierce some normal shoes, but all the pit vipers probably can, if large enough. And most bites are probably on the ankle or above, anyway. A great many coral snake bites occur as a result of naïve people handling these colorful- but- deadly reptiles.