It has been a tough week for shooters and the friends and followers of two handgun greats.

In the early morning hours of Tuesday last, Todd Louis Green passed away after a very long – and very valiant – battle with cancer. Only 45, Todd was one of the brightest and fastest-rising stars in the firearms training world until he had to turn his attention to fighting his disease, a battle that included successful advocacy for cancer treatment research on multiple fronts.

Todd was a skillful instructor and excellent diagnostician, who never patronized his students. He was also constantly testing new things, whether guns or techniques.  High volume endurance tests on handguns, for example. Todd was a big advocate of AIWB (appendix inside the waistband) concealed carry, and a few years ago I watched him (minus a kidney recently lost to cancer) outshoot us all at the Polite Society Match (in Tulsa that year at the US Shooting Academy) with a double action HK .45 drawn from that type of concealment. Equally comfortable with Glocks and 1911s, Todd was a strong advocate of double action semiautomatic pistols for practical street reasons that went beyond mere “shootability.” He was also an “industry insider,” having worked for both Beretta and SIG, and was happy to share his knowledge with the shooting public.

When radical cancer surgery took substantial bone out of his gun arm, Todd made lemonade out of the lemons by using it as an opportunity to study what it felt like to be a new shooter or a handicapped shooter, knowledge he shared with those who followed his excellent posts, archived at the forum he created “where professionals go,” pistol-training.com.  It remains a treasure trove of knowledge and a monument to Todd’s approach. He will be greatly missed.

In close proximity to Todd’s death came news that Walt Rauch had suffered a serious stroke. Walt is one of the grand old men of tactical handgunning: one of the originators of the famed National Tactical Invitational, a co-architect of the International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA), and a strong supporter of the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC). His career took him from the US Secret Service to the Philadelphia Warrant Squad, where he became the man I described decades ago in my book “The Truth About Self-Protection” as a legal burglar, empowered by warrant to enter homes to take dangerous men into custody. He did it in a day when such entries were made not by heavily armed and armored SWAT teams but by a couple of detectives in suits with department-issue snub-nose .38 revolvers. What Walt learned and shared with the rest of us – in lecture, and in his many articles in magazines like Combat Handguns and Handguns –  made us all safer.

Your thoughts and prayers for Walt’s recovery, and for Todd and his survivors, would be greatly appreciated. Donations may be made in Todd’s memory to Rampage For The Cure!

11 COMMENTS

  1. I’m a cancer survivor. I’ve enjoyed Todd’s blog, and I had no idea about his having cancer. Todd sounded like an up beat person, and that’s the way to be.

    I wish, I could of met him in person. He was such a young man, I will say prayers for Todd, and his family, and for Walt. Mas, do take care of yourself.

  3. Damn…

    So sorry to hear of these losses and misfortunes.

    Keeping these fine individuals who have given so much of themselves so others could learn and be safe in my thoughts and prayers. I have no doubt that Todd’s legacy shall live on and Walt’s one tough SOB who will be back on his feet in no time.
    Just can’t keep a good man down… You take good care Mas…

  4. One of the downsides of living a longer and more healthy life is having to watch wonderful people pass before us. No one knows how much time remains and they should spend it wisely, learning from those who know more about the things we appreciate most and loving the people we need to appreciate more.

  5. All great words above – and to further add to Roger’s post – I just learned a co-worker of mine (she will be 51 on Monday) – a single mother who has been battling various types of cancer for several years – just received a diagnosis of advanced liver cancer. As I type the words, I can’t get my head around it – just like Todd Green, who has made me laugh, angry, everything – for years on pistol-forum. It just can’t be true – they’re too young, right?

  6. Like David, I’m a cancer survivor and it grieves me to see someone taken so young. Todd is missed.

  7. Prayers for both ….

    As a survivor of kidney cancer I can attest to what a vile disease it is and how hard to detect it is…

    We are all less for the loss.

    V/r

    Chuck

  8. Update from mutual friend Rich Grassi: Walt Rauch is out of intensive care, and prognosis is optimistic. Walt and his family send their thanks for your good wishes and prayers, as do I.

  9. I’m sorry about Todd, but I’m glad to hear that Walt’s prognosis is optimistic. I remember reading Walt’s articles from way back when!

  11. Walt Rauch and I go back many decades ago. I was in Philly PD Narcotics Unit and Walt, Secret Service. Then I became a Special Agent with the federal government, and Walt a Detective with Philadelphia Warrant Squad. Walt was an excellent shot and knows his firearms. He is an old friend and wish him the very best. We worked many a case together. If you can somehow pass my email address to him, I would like to speak to him. Thank you, Bob LaRatta

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