"General Hospital" actor Johnny Wactor, who was killed early Saturday while trying to stop a group of thieves tampering with a car in downtown Los Angeles, was remembered by his family and friends as a tenacious actor who tried to navigate the world of acting and Hollywood.
His mother, Scarlett Wactor, confirmed his death, calling her 37-year-old son “a light in a dark room.”
“There is a huge hole in all of us, and there is no fixing that,” she said.
The actor's mother recalled her son, a Charleston, South Carolina, native, wanted to act since he was in elementary school.
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After he attended Rollings Middle School of the Arts in South Carolina and moved to Hollywood, he kept in touch with his theater instructor, she said.
The industry was no joy ride, and at one point, Scarlett Wactor said, "I thought he was almost going to starve to death out there."
The grieving mother said his acting work might help her cope with her loss.
"I think that when I see Johnny on the videos and the recordings, I can only hope that he's doing that in heaven and enjoying it," she said.
Wactor's manager, Marco Cuadros, also lamented the "senseless tragedy."
"Johnny Wactor was such a kind soul, a talented actor and an inspiration to those around him," Cuadros said in a statement.
"His professionalism, his enthusiasm and love for his craft was infectious and made him such a joy to work with. He pursued his dreams and achieved them, all the while remaining a good human being caring for others."
Wactor’s agent, David Shaul, said in a statement to Variety that he was a dedicated worker and an exemplary person.
“In the highs and lows of a challenging profession he always kept his chin up and kept striving for the best he could be,” Shaul said. “After over a decade together, he will leave a hole in our hearts forever.”
The LAPD had confirmed Wactor was shot while trying to stop a group of three men attempting to steal his car's catalytic converter near the intersection of Hope Street and Pico Boulevard.
One of the suspects fired at the victim and then the trio fled the scene.
Police were dispatched to the location at about 3:15 a.m. Paramedics rushed the shooting victim to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
No arrests have been made.
