Wes Craven has died after a battle with brain cancer. He was 76.

I don’t know what to say right now. I’m crying and I’m heartbroken. Not only was Wes Craven a genius in his field, he was also, from all accounts, one of the kindest men in the film industry.

I first saw the original Nightmare On Elm Street in 1985, when I was five years old. I have had nightmares about Freddy Krueger ever since. For all my life I’ve dreamed weird, full senses active, that sort of thing. I’m capable of feeling pain in my dreams. It’s pretty fucked up.

I had always dreamed of sitting down with Wes Craven and discussing dream theory and nightmares with him. I’ve wanted to have my dreams studied. I owe a lifelong fascination with dreams and nightmares to the films of Wes Craven.

Scream, of course, was brilliant and completely rewrote the rules of the horror genre. Nearly every horror movie since has become self-aware, its protagonists having grown up with horror movies like Wes’.

Horror has lost a titan and a friend. And we’re all a little poorer for having lost a man who showed us how to be strong and fight the demons in our heads.

Rest in peace, Wes. Thank you for all the times you scared the holy living shit out of me.

Please donate to the American Cancer Society in his memory at http://www.cancer.org/