General Hospital star Johnny Wactor’s ex-fiancée, Tessa Farrell, has some words for the people responsible for the late actor’s death.
“If the person who did this, if you’re watching, I’m sorry, but you shot the wrong guy,” Farrell stated in an emotional social media video on Monday, May 27. “You know, you can get a real job, like, I know the job market’s hard, but we’re all in it together. You don’t have to steal, you know? Especially take a life over it, like, human life is disregarded too [easily] guys.”
She went on to tell her followers: “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.”
Farrell also directly addressed Wactor, stating, “I love you very much and I’m very proud of you for the person you’ve become and the obstacles you’ve overcame. And you’ve forever inspired me in my work and what I do and I wouldn’t be here without what you’ve taught me. So, thank you, Johnny. I love you. I miss you. I hope those last moments were OK for you and I’m glad someone was with you.”
Wactor died at age 37 on Saturday, May 25, after being shot while allegedly stopping three men who were attempting to steal his catalytic converter. Johnny’s brother Grant Wactor told the Daily Mail on Monday that the soap star was walking a female coworker back to her car when he spotted the men surrounding his vehicle. Johnny reportedly discovered the men were armed after asking whether the car was being towed, after which Grant says Johnny shielded his coworker before being shot.
Several offered their condolences to Johnny, who played Brando Corbin on General Hospital, including the ABC series’ producers. “The entire General Hospital family is heartbroken to hear of Johnny Wactor’s untimely passing,” read a Sunday social media tribute. “He was truly one of a kind and a pleasure to work with each and every day. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his loved ones during this difficult time.”
Earlier in her post, Farrell reminisced on her and Johnny’s relationship while sporting her grandparents’ ring, which served as her engagement ring. “We met in 2013 when I first moved out to Hollywood to pursue acting like he did, too,” she shared. “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.”
Farrell noted that she helped Johnny begin Alcoholics Anonymous and said he remained “sober and proud” through the end of his life. “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 stated. “And oh, my God, this man was like a machine.”
Farrell continued: “It’s so sad that, you know, this is how he had to get taken from us because he cared so much about doing the right thing and earning things. … I wouldn’t have made it without him. It was how I learned from him and I will always love him.”
She concluded her post by encouraging fans to “stand up” and help create change so that incidents like what happened to Johnny don’t happen again. “We should find these killers, guys,” she stated. “This guy was a rising star and such a bright soul to this world. We can’t keep losing things like this because people are afraid to stand up and do what’s right.”
