As celebrities and fans continue to mourn Johnny Wactor’s death, his family isn’t interested in hearing from his ex-fiancée, Tessa Farrell.
The late actor’s mom, Scarlett Wactor, told TMZ in an article published on Wednesday, May 29, that Farrell had not been in touch with Johnny or their family for a long time, despite recently sharing an emotional reaction video to his death. According to Scarlett, Johnny and Farrell had not spoken to each other in at least two to three years.
Johnny, best known for his role as Brando Corbin on General Hospital, was shot and killed in Los Angeles on Saturday, May 25. Scarlett confirmed the news to TMZ the following day, revealing that her son was shot after interacting with men attempting to steal his car’s catalytic converter. He was later pronounced dead at a hospital.
Johnny’s brother Grant shared more details of the incident with the Daily Mail, explaining that Johnny was walking a female coworker to her car after a bartending shift. Johnny allegedly asked the men surrounding his car if it was being towed and shielded his colleague before being shot.
Following the news of her ex’s death, Farrell gave an emotional plea for stronger crime laws to be put in place in L.A. and tearfully addressed the perpetrators.
“If the person who did this, if you’re watching, I’m sorry, but you shot the wrong guy. You know, you can get a real job, like I know the job market’s hard, but we’re all in it together,” she stated in a Monday, May 27, social media video. “You don’t have to steal, you know? Especially take a life over it, like, human life is disregarded too [easily] guys. We gotta make some changes as a community. We gotta support each other and come together. Maybe that’s what Johnny’s gift is for us, maybe he’s gifting that to all of us because he was full of gifts.”
While wearing what was formerly her engagement ring, Farrell also reminisced on her romance with Johnny, sharing, “We were friends at first and then kind of fell in love, and it was really fiery, like, too fiery. We brought out the best in each other, and then also, the darkest parts of each other. … We stayed in touch after we broke up sometimes, and I got to see him kind of prepare for some of his scenes for General Hospital.”
She spoke directly to Johnny near the end of her post, stating that she loves him “very much” and is “proud” of the person he became after their split. “This guy was a rising star and such a bright soul to this world,” Farrell added. “We can’t keep losing things like this because people are afraid to stand up and do what’s right. And Johnny stood up and did what’s right all the time. So, let’s be like Johnny and stand up until it’s right.”
Explaining why she still wears the engagement ring, Farrell told Entertainment Tonight on Tuesday, May 28, that the jewelry — which previously belonged to her grandparents — reminds her of “everlasting love.”
“Sadly, it has another meaning to it [now], but, you know, I’m grateful — at least I have it still and I have memories of him,” she said.
Loved ones have rallied around the Wactors following their tragedy, with Johnny’s godmother Michaelle Kinard launching a GoFundMe page to help raise money for his family “to be able to travel the distance of 2,000 miles (the many times it may take) to take care of this heartbreaking business which they have been sentenced.” Scarlett told TMZ on Wednesday that her son’s body will be flown to the family’s home state of South Carolina and that a memorial will eventually be held in L.A.
