If he liked it that much, then probably he wouldn't have started a whole side project that must have consumed evenings and weekends for years.
If he would have found professional fulfillment in his job, he would not likely have started a side project in the first place.
As he mentions in his own reply, he stays because he feels that his job defines him as a person, and he would lose his social identity if he left.
This is a surprisingly lucid reply, he can do whatever he wants and I wish him the best, but it's clear to me that he has other much better options available.