UTICA, Mich. (WXYZ) — On Van Dyke Road, you’ll find one of Macomb County’s most popular hidden gem attractions. On a Friday evening, there was a line of anxious kids waiting outside excited to see some reptiles, and also the man who's in charge of it all.
Brian Barczyk is more than just owner of The Reptarium in Utica — he’s a YouTube personality who has amassed 4 million subscribers and over 1 million Instagram followers, showing off what he loves.
“I've literally been working with reptiles and animals since I was 2 years old," Barczyk said. "It's all I ever wanted in life.”
The Reptarium houses snakes, iguanas, turtles and even a sloth. All are available for an up-close look. It's a business model he plans to continue by building an aquarium across the street.
"We want your hands to be wet from the time you walk in the door until the time you leave," Barczyk said. “Literally, we're going to have an exhibit where you can swim with stingrays."
But his business expansion hit a snag last month with a diagnosis of inoperable pancreatic cancer.
“It's terrifying, it’s absolutely terrifying," Barczyk said. "Every day, you wake up and go, 'Am I going to have the emotional strength to get through this?'”
Barczyk starts chemotherapy next week but isn’t giving up on his dream. He says with the diagnosis, funding has been difficult.
"Ten months ago, we started the process of acquiring the building across the street... We got the building, we started the design, the architecture, we had the budget figured out to some extent," Barczyk said. "Unfortunately, the bad news came back that I had pancreatic cancer... People (investors) backed away and said 'Listen, I don't want to be a part of this' because they want me to be the guy running it, and if they think I may not be that guy, there’s a chance it may not happen. That couldn't be further from the truth, but I understand the concern.”
Barczyk is now hoping to raise another $2 million to fund the $4 million project. He's hoping to open the aquarium in seven months to make sure he’s there to see it.
"It's a big ask, you know, its a big ask to raise that kind of money. But I believe miracles happen,” Barczyk said.
In a week, die-hard supporters and sponsors have already contributed $400,000, hoping Brian will see his big dream.
"This has become a very special place for us,” mother Amy Long said. "At this hard time is when you see who your true friends are, and we feel blessed to be on that list.”
Barczyk hopes the aptly named "Legacy Aquarium" will be his lasting legacy. But if you ask the kids he inspired, his legacy is already cemented in stone.
“Right now, all I have is hope, and I'm continuing to hold on to it,” Barczyk said.
Barczyk has launched a GoFundMe page to help raise funds.
