Itâs a sad day for porn lovers:
Although details are sketchy at this point, former Rascal Exclusive Cole Ryder died of a staph infection in his sleep.
One of the first of a crop of more-masculine and hairy studio exclusives, Cole was signed by Rascal in 2006, where he went on to appear in Link: The Evolution, When Bears Attack, and others.
He appeared on the cover of the October 2006 issue of Unzipped and the cover of Leather Sessions.
And, we imagine, a number of fantasies.
More details as they cum â oh, we mean come.
Update: Ryderâs friends tell us he did not die of a staph infection, but declined to reveal the actual cause. Weâre told a press release with be released in the near future.
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wickedgayblog
So very sad to lose a member of the community. My apologies for not knowing but what is a staph infection and what causes it?
Qjersey
Why are commenters so DAMN LAZY?????
If you don’t know what it is, GOOGLE or WIKI it lazy ass and don’t waste space here.
liltomtom!!!
im pretty sure its something you get when you are HIV
Woof
In memoriam he should be morning goods tomorrow! He was delicious.
Jaroslaw
I’ll second that WOOF!
Dubwise
Sad. I love When Bears attack.
You don’t have to have HIV to die from staph…within the last year a good friends father died of it…no HIV there.
Darth Paul
You’re a dumbsh!t, liltomtom. And DListed is way better than your crappy blog.
Psychofag
He was soooo hot!
Jimmy
The award for most ignorant comment today goes to Liltomtom! Congratulations Liltomtom!
gayinsf
Quersey you need to chill, asshole.
Trenton
Jesus…I had staph from eating a bad oyster last year and suddenly I feel very fortunate given how easy it was to treat. :<
ILOVEZ
OMG! Poor Thing! I thought staph infection was cureble! How come they couldn’t treat him.Sad!
Alan down in Florida
Something like 64,000 people die each year from staph infections and the major source of the infections remains hospitals. It has nothing to do with HIV although compromised immune systems can increase the danger (see Jack McKenroth having to quit Project Runway) once the staph is contracted.
On a less serious note – could someone muzzle Psychofag. He has that same sooo hot comment regardless of the topic.
Trenton
There is also a methiillin resistant strain that has wreaked havoc in Asia from time to time. Many people are carriers without symptoms. I know a couple that had to break up after one of them caught a staph infection three times from the other, who never had symptoms at all. As it occurs naturally on the skin and is found in many lakes, it often results from even minor injuries. Food poisoning is another common cause.
The CDC was tracking a particularly virulent strain in the SF gay community about a year ago (maybe even more recently). In most cases, it can be solved with simple antibiotics, but it can even result in cachemia and require the surgical removal of infected tissue. Those of you who haven’t familiarized yourself with the disease probbly should. It’s the kind of thing that can become acute in a short span, but be relatively harmless if caught early.
Paul Raposo
“Those of you who havenĂ¢ââââ¢t familiarized yourself with the disease probbly should.”
Thanks for the heads up, Trenton. You appear to be fairly knowledgeable of the subject so I’ll ask; what are the signs or symptoms we should be looking out for? What should we avoid doing?
GoodBuddy
There has been a lot of reporting in recent years about MRSA. I had a friend who was hospitalized with it a few years back. They were making plans to amputate her arm since the infection was not responding to any of the antibiotics they tried, when they turned to what is now considered the treatment of last resort for many infections, Cipro. Fortunately, she responded to that and her arm was saved.
How do you protect yourself? Perhaps cover your cuts, wash your hands, etc. I seem to recall some articles about this spreading through health clubs. So you could spray the hot tub/sauna before getting in.
Oh, and don’t be a slut nor sleep with sluts. The more intimate contacts you have the more you are at risk. Just how much are you willing to give up to be safe?
Here’s the Mayo Clinic on the gay connection:
“For example, gay men in San Francisco were 13 times more likely to be infected than others in the city.”
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mrsa/DS00735/DSECTION=risk-factors
Charley
A germ-phobic cruiser spraying the hot tub/sauna with disinfectants in health and sex clubs ? That’s a guarantee to get you kicked out of the place.
Lost
Here are the basics if anyone is interested in reading: And to those who are far superior, give the kids a break. Educate, don’t hate.
What is Staphylococcus?
Staphylococcus is group of bacteria, familiarly known as Staph (pronounced “staff”), that can cause a multitude of diseases as a result of infection of various tissues of the body. Staph bacteria can cause illness not only directly by infection (such as in the skin), but also indirectly by producing toxins responsible for food poisoning and toxic shock syndrome. Staph-related illness can range from mild and requiring no treatment to severe and potentially fatal.
The name “Staphylococcus” comes from the Greek staphyle meaning a bunch of grapes and kokkos meaning berry, and that is what Staph look like under the microscope, like a bunch of grapes or little round berries. (In technical terms, these are gram-positive, facultative anaerobic, usually unencapsulated cocci.)
Over 30 different types of Staphylococci can infect humans, but most infections are caused by Staphylococcus aureus. Staphylococci can be found normally in the nose and on the skin (and less commonly in other locations) of 20%-30% of healthy adults. In the majority of cases, the bacteria do not cause disease. However, damage to the skin or other injury may allow the bacteria to overcome the natural protective mechanisms of the body, leading to infection.
Who is at risk for Staph infections?
Anyone can develop a Staph infection, although certain groups of people are at greater risk, including newborn infants, breastfeeding women, and people with chronic conditions such as diabetes, cancer, vascular disease, and lung disease. Injecting drug users, those with skin injuries or disorders, intravenous catheters, surgical incisions, and those with a weakened immune system all have an increased risk of developing Staph infections.
What are the symptoms and signs of a Staph infection?
Staphylococcal disease of the skin usually results in a localized collection of pus, known as an abscess, boil, or furuncle. The affected area may be red, swollen, and painful. Drainage or pus is common.
What types of diseases are caused by Staph?
Staph infections of the skin can progress to impetigo (a crusting of the skin) or cellulitis (inflammation of the connective tissue under the skin, leading to swelling and redness of the area). In rare cases, a serious complication known as scalded skin syndrome (see below) can develop. In breastfeeding women, Staph can result in mastitis (inflammation of the breast) or in abscess of the breast. Staphylococcal breast abscesses can release bacteria into the mother’s milk.
When the bacteria enter the bloodstream and spread to other organs, a number of serious infections can occur. Staphylococcal pneumonia predominantly affects people with underlying lung disease and can lead to abscess formation within the lungs. Infection of the heart valves (endocarditis) can lead to heart failure. Spread of Staphylococci to the bones can result in severe inflammation of the bones known as osteomyelitis. Staphylococcal sepsis (widespread infection of the bloodstream) is a leading cause of shock and circulatory collapse, leading to death, in people with severe burns over large areas of the body.
Staphylococcal food poisoning is an illness of the bowels that causes nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration. It is caused by eating foods contaminated with toxins produced by Staphylococcus aureus. Symptoms usually develop within one to six hours after eating contaminated food. The illness usually lasts for one to three days and resolves on its own. Patients with this illness are not contagious, since toxins are not transmitted from one person to another.
Toxic shock syndrome is an illness caused by toxins secreted by Staph aureus bacteria growing under conditions in which there is little or no oxygen. Toxic shock syndrome is characterized by the sudden onset of high fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and muscle aches, followed by low blood pressure (hypotension), which can lead to shock and death. There may be a rash resembling sunburn, with peeling of skin. Toxic shock syndrome was originally described and still occurs especially in menstruating women using tampons.
How are Staph infections diagnosed?
In cases of minor skin infections, Staphylococcal infections are usually diagnosed by their appearance without the need for laboratory testing. More serious staphylococcal infections such as infection of the bloodstream, pneumonia, and endocarditis require culturing of samples of blood or infected fluids. The laboratory establishes the diagnosis and performs special tests to determine which antibiotics are effective against the bacteria.
How are Staph infections treated?
Minor skin infections are usually treated with an antibiotic ointment such as a nonprescription triple-antibiotic mixture. In some cases, oral antibiotics may be given for skin infections. Additionally, if abscesses are present, they are surgically drained. More serious and life-threatening infections are treated with intravenous antibiotics. The choice of antibiotic depends on the susceptibility of the particular staphylococcal strain as determined by culture results in the laboratory. Some Staph strains, such as MRSA (see next section), are resistant to many antibiotics.
As someone above mentioned, Google it and educate yourself.
take care.
Trenton
Paul Raposo:
At the risk of giving any hypochondriac readers a coronary, it can start as a simple rash. Because mine came from oysters, it started as a tiny spot just beneath my lip which I easily mistook for razor rash…which only spread, of course, after I shaved. It wasn’t until I noticed some on my hands that I realized that it was not a bug bite or an allergic reaction as I first suspected.
I was lucky, because mine was a pretty weak strain, apparently. The lesions in early stages are similar for everyone, though: a rash that resembles a slight burn with a scale of goldish pustulence on top. Most of the sites online show advanced stages, but never let it get that far. That’s when people lose limb or chunks of flesh, or wind up with scars. I managed to avoid all of the above, but had I waited two more days I may not have been so lucky.
As GoodBuddy said, the best precaution is just reducing intimate contact. Mind you, that includes even kissing, though the odds are you won’t get it from a night of making out if your immune system is in good shape. The couple that I mentioned in my above post didn’t even need to have sex for the one partner to pass it to the other. All it took was a deep kiss and from time to time, the other would wind up with lesions in less than a few days.
In short, Nature sucks.
fri
“More details as they cum – oh, we mean come.”
A man’s dead, and his memory is honored with a terrible cum/come pun? seriously now…
CHURCHILL-Y
There seems to be a lot of misinformation on this subject going around. Some healthy people carry on them this infection without any show of symptoms for years and 2.4% of healthy children carry around the superbug. In fact I can’t remember if it was in VA or MD were some news came out I think last year or earlier in this one of some kid dying for sure there was a death of a kid in NYC and there was a lot of hysteria. So it has nothing to do in particular with Gay people. If your in a highly populated area or in lots of contact with different people then your chances go up. By the same token if you’re immune deficient then your risks for it becoming more serious go up. Common sense hygiene is the key to prevention, at least reduce you chances for infection.
The best I have heard and I use myself is Hibiclens, just make sure to keep it away from the eyes and the inner ears.
http://www.genengnews.com/news/bnitem.aspx?name=12111773
Also remeber that the clothes you wear are just as important;
http://www.marketwirecanada.com/press-release/Gordon-and-Gordon-786946.html
Trenton
“So it has nothing to do in particular with Gay people”
You are right to clarify that. It was mainly circulating in specific communities because of frequently changing partners. The key point is that people were treating it like an STD when it can be passed by any contact. But you are right that it isn’t worthy of some of the hyetria that it has inspired; it was being treated like a new plague in Japan for a while after a couple of kids died.
CHURCHILL-Y
You’re right. I can’t remember though were it was that a school was quarantine or something. They eventually open it back after they did some disinfection on it. I think those type of measures are appropriate but they do induce to a lot of hysteria amongst the population. Though if you’re the one with the infection you have every right to be more than just hysterical.
Dalton
How sad. I’ve met and talked to Cole a few times at Faultline. Really sweet nice guy.
Derek Collins
I was lucky enough to have had a very serious relationship with Mike (Cole Ryder) and will miss him very much. He was very tender and gentle and loved to lay in bed and spoon. There was nothing quite like being wrapped up in all that he was. Thank you for being in my life. I will miss you very, very much. Rest in peace my friend…..
Brian
Fri — my sentiments exactly. I can’t believe it took until the 20th post for someone to point that out. The “come/cum” joke seems especially callous and tacky in light of Derek Collins’ post. To all who knew Mike/Cole, including Derek, my heartfelt condolences.
No 4
Well at least they didnt say his HIV killed him.
More to it
I wonder if he killed himself. Why else would his myspace page have a “suicide note” message on it?
JL
Three thoughts:
First, to No. 27: Based on what authority do you claim Cole was HIV positive? Whether he was or wasn’t is irrelevant – and shouldn’t be an issue (it’s already been established here that an MRSA infection is NOT indicative of or related to an HIV infection)
Second, to No. 28: There is no suicide note on his myspace page. The only indication of his passing is a status update, made posthumously, by a good friend and caretaker.
Third, to Mike: The short time I knew you was an absolute pleasure, and my life will be better for having you in it. I’m sorry you had to go but wish you love and peace forever.
Charley
Derek,
I am so sorry you lost a friend. I didn’t know him but reading your words he must have been a very loving and sweet guy.
Derek Collins
Just another footnote:
For all of you who have nothing better to do with your time than sit around and pick this apart…I spoke with his roommate today and Mike had been ill lately and in and out of the hospital…he died at home in his bed while sleeping. His roommate had spent the night in his room with him because Mike didn’t want to be alone. Does it really matter to all of you who didn’t know him how he died. I am so thankful that he had a friend like Bob who could be there for him at the end. We will all miss you so very much, Mike. You touched us all in so many special ways, I only wish you could have known it…I’m sure Peanut was at your side until the end. Farewell my friend….
Trenton
Derek and JL:
These sudden, silent, truly unaccountable deaths are as frightening as they are tragic and so I wish all the best to you in healing from your grief. Be safe and well.
lucking
Dying of a staph infection in his sleep? Sounds weird to me. The way it’s worded malke it like heart attack or somehting, which doens
lucking
Derek, that makes much more sense. The way it’s worded in the healdine seemed like a staph infection works like a heart attack or something, which was weird.
Sad.
Mark
Having known Mike very well myself and getting the call about this yesterday afternoon I am surprised so many people are so concerned about the wording on his passing or what caused it.
How about the fact that many people lost a dear friend, and a wonderful caring person?
Derek, I feel your loss and share your grief, thanks to Bob and Will for so unselfishly taking time out of their lives to help a great person!
Mike you will be missed by more people than you realize and touched so many people in so many ways you will never know!
I will miss your smile, your voice, waking up next to you and your sweet texts. Im honored I was given the chance to be a part of your life and sad it ended far too soon!
May you find peace and happiness
CHURCHILL-Y
@ 29 & 31;
Please forgive me if I seemed disrespectful by discussing the staph infection instead of Ryder’s life. I knew very little of him so thank goodness you’re here to let us know what type of a man he was. I meant no disrespect and like Treton said I also wish you the best and hope that your grief becomes more tolerable by remembering his life and friendship to you. He sounded like he was a great guy.
Zach
I found a really candid interview with Cole and Jennifer Justice… Talk about a look into his life outside of porn. Seems like a great guy. He will be missed!
http://www.gayborhood.tv/watch.cfm?view=urbansafari&show=8F759A85-1422-5BFF-CEF81A7D6FDDAC79
I don’t know when this was done but it couldn’t have been that long ago…
Z
Sal Bruno
Derek,
I think of the great fears in life is dying alone. It only goes to speak to the kind of man Mike/Cole is that he had a friend be there for him so he did not go on alone, but with the comfort that he was taken care of. You can’t ask for a better tribute to a person. Condolences to all that knew him beyond just being a hot bod and loved him as a person.
Beyond that, I think it very helpful that information on staph is listed here. HIV/AIDS isn’t the only thing killing us, and the more informed you are, the better choices you can make.
As for the inappropriate comments, it is time some of you got a real life…no one cares what you think, if you think at all. It used to be when someone passed, men would take off their hats and people in the street would stop as the funeral cortege’ passed. Consider this a hats-off to Mike.
Paul
Although I met Mike just recently, I was so shocked when I received the news yesterday evening from Will, that he had passed away. I had spoken to him briefly last week, while he was in the hospital, he sounded upbeat and ready to go home and get better. Mike was a very tender, sweet and loving guy, who left such a big impression on me in such a short time. His love for Peanut was beyond anything, but anyone who has a dog knows that feeling, I certainly do. Many thank you’s to Will and Bob who took care of him, these past two weeks.
Mike, I will miss your great smile and warmth and your funny emails. Peanut will miss you too.
JenniferJustice
cole and i did do the “urban safari” episode
it was probably his last interview, i didnt know him personally but he was very friendly and very down to earth before and after the interview. zach, thnx for posting the link and i hope it brings a smile to those that did know him personally and maybe just a glimpse of who he was beyond the movies he made. -jj
Charley
The most generous and kindest people I know are in the sex industry. Most want to please others. I remember back in the 80’s, I stood in line at a department store to pay behind John Stryker and he was buying expensive gifts for all his friends. He was very sweet and he was very nice to the cashier, who he didn’t know from Adam.
Charley
I forgot to add, it was Christmas eve.
William F. Proctor, II
On behalf of the many friends who were with Cole during his last days, and as one of the two people who held his hands as he passed, let me clarify that he did not die of a staph infection (nor did he die of a drug overdose or AIDS). He died peacefully and with dignity.
His family and friends will be issuing a press release in the coming weeks with further details.
In the meantime, please allow him and us a little dignity during the grieving process and cease posting rumors and speculations on his death. He was a beloved human being who made a big impact on everyone he touched. Please do not belittle his life by prurient speculation as to how he died. Please focus instead on how he lived — a man devoted to his family, friends and community.
Thank you to all who posted similar sentiments.
He was a wonderful, dear, sweet, kind man and not just a sexy body. His friends and family would appreciate it if everyone remembered him that way as well.
Baby, you will be missed.
Love always,
Will, Bob and Mark
Nickadoo
I managed to beat a nasty MRSA infection last month. It’s not fun. I had a simple cut on my elbow, and likely put myself at risk at the gym. I spent the next month on IV antibiotics. It’s easy to forget how lucky I was until I read stories like this.
The effects of the staph aren’t entirely over just yet. The stress of the illness appears to have reactivated the chicken pox virus, giving me an ugly case of shingles. Doctor said, “No sex for two weeks!”
I’m not dead, so I got that goin’ for me.
…and I’m halfway through those two weeks! (hee hee)
nutherMike
I agree that rumours and speculation about someone’s death are out of line
BUT
when someone like Cole/Mike has made himself to some extent a public figure, then interest in his life and/or death are legitimate.
I only knew Cole from his porn career, but I found him to be likeable – as well as hot.
News of his death came as a horrible surprise, and my sympathy goes out to those who were close to him.
John
R.I.P
Mark
Press Release
ADULT FILM STAR, COLE RYDER, DIES
LONG BEACH, CA, JULY 30, 2008:
Cole Ryder passed away of natural causes at his home in Long Beach, California, shortly past 8 am on Wednesday, July 30th, 2008, at the age of 36. Cole passed peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by friends.
Cole was signed as an exclusive to Rascal Video in 2006 starting the trend of more masculine, rugged studio exclusives. His career was short, but prolific. He appeared in nine films over the course of two years, with two films still in post production.
Cole touched many peopleââŹâ˘s lives personally and professionally. He was always the first to greet anyone with a big smile and warm embrace. He listened and spoke with his heart.
Cole was active and passionate about animals and HIV education, prevention and fundraising. In June, 2008, Cole was the Honorary Trail Guide for Saddle Up LA, a benefit fundraiser for The Life Group LA of which he was very proud to be a part.
Cole would without a doubt appreciate a donation, large or small, to The Life Group LA (www.lifegroupla.org) with which he felt a close connection and affiliation. Funds donated in his name will launch a support program for emergency veterinary care for the pets of HIV+ men and woman.
The coronerââŹâ˘s first impression is that the immediate cause of ColeââŹâ˘s death was congestive heart failure. Preliminary tissue studies showed Cole suffered from severe, hereditary, arteriosclerosis, a hardening of the blood vessels, which can lead to heart attack, stroke or aneurysm. Final autopsy results are pending.
Family and friends wish to thank everyone for their sympathy and support.
Meth Kills
The press release is a total white wash. Firstly, I got a call the day Cole died. He was not surrounded by friends. He was staying at a friends house to recouperate after a hospital stay. His friend came home and found him unconscience. CPR, paramedics, later he died.
What has not been spoken of was his severe Crystal Meth and other drug abuse. If more people know that doing meth kills, then maybe more poeple wouldnt be so indifferent to using it, be more scared to try it, and just maybe less people will die.
He was a great guy, but his habits got the best of him… I only wish the gay media and porn industry had the courage to use his death as a stepping stone to learn from it and save a few lives in the process
Mark
Hey Meth Kills
Why dont you take the lead on that one and bring this issue up?
There are no denials of anything just stating the facts as they happened
If you got a call you should know that he was around people that cared, so step up and set an example!
We all know that meth is a huge issue!
Mark F.
Meth kills:
Who are you? How did you know Cole? Who called you regarding his death? How do you know he used Meth?
Meth Kills
How did I know Cole? I was a friend of his. How do I know? Because I had been with him while he did it. It is not heresay, and I am not being bitter. I am just sad that in everything I have read or seen, drug abuse and its consequences were not mentioned in regards to this death. Was it a sole factor? probably, But was it a factor.. absolutely.
Mark F.
Meth Kills:
Thanks for answering my questions. However, I’m not sure how you can say drugs were ~definately~ a factor in Cole’s death. Why do you say that? There has been no official final autopsy report issued, as far as I know.
I never met Cole, but I was a big fan. I loved his sexy body and smile and was hoping to meet him at the Folsom Street Fair this year. I know he had a lot of friends who loved him. So why did he get mixed up in drugs? Any ideas?
Anyway, this all makes me more sad than I can say.
Meth Kills
sorry.. i mis typeed.. i meant to say.. was it the sole factor.. probably NOT, but was it a factor.. absolutely.. if you saw his decline over the past few months.. (just take a look at his pics of the last couple of years to really see what meth does to you) … then you would agree.. everytime i visited him, i just felt bad and finally had to stop visiting him.. he was a great guy, small town on the inside and warm and fuzzy inside and out.. and unfortunately… was taken over by addiction.. it is no wonder that drug abuse *meth* is running wild.. no one wants to REALLY bring it out in the open in situations like this…
IP
I am sad to hear about Mike. He was a very sweet guy. Almost a kid in a big man’s body.
But what Meth Kills says is true. Instead of sugar candy his dead people should the straight facts to warn future meth users of what can happened. And I can say this because I was one of the persons who did PARTY AND PLAY with Mike many times, and he was out of control. I am sure this had something to do with his death. I liked Mike very much and I had a very special time with him. I am sad to hear about his death but lets say the truth at least to warn future victims. I stopped using drugs 8 months ago.
Jordan
Dude, he was fuckin’ hot. Not gonna lie.
rob
Gay porno industry is not all what it’s cracked up to be. I dated a porno star and the drug abuse and alcohol abuse is very common. They don’t keep all the money they make. Most of it goes to the director and producer. They get about 20% of the earnings. Not much at all.
Gay porno actors can be denied employment in many states if there record as such comes up. Thought they give false names in the films it does come up in labor and wage reports as adult performer and the genre of film.
It’s not glamourous. Most of the men in magazines, pics are airbrushed and make up is heavily applied so scars,etc aren’t seen.
Scitex machines are used to thin a heavier guy up and round out features.
I cannot understand why anyone would want to be a porno star. Not agreat career move. I’d rather be in the military because that’s more honorable!
Richard
rest in peace
luv rich xx đ
KGS
I bet he was a great kisser! And his breathe was probably sweet, like my bf Mark, a soldier.
K
kelvin golson
Good riddance to homely, lame, crack whores! Keep it coming
argentino4
Han pasado poco mas de tres aĂąos desde la partida de Mike. Sin embargo, lo recuerdo casi a diario , pues es un hombre que conquistĂł mi corazĂłn desde la primera vez que lo vi. Lamentablemente no tuve la dicha de conocerlo personalmente ,algo que me hubiese hecho particularmente muy feliz. Desde este pais lejano deseo que estes descansando en paz y envio un fuerte abrazo a aquellas personas que lo aman y respetan. Mike , siempre viviras en mi corazĂłn.