The former girlfriend of Breaking Bad actor RJ Mitte has shared an emotional tribute following his death by suicide at the age of 34.
Mitte, best known for portraying Walter White Jr. on the AMC crime drama between 2008 and 2013, died in Texas on Monday. Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding his death.
It was later confirmed that Mitte, who had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of three, died by suicide.
After news of his death emerged, his former teenage girlfriend, Saint Sasha, posted a series of nostalgic photographs of the pair. In a heartfelt message, she remembered Mitte as the first person to show her what it meant for a woman to be treated with care and respect.
“I fell in love for the first time when I was 18,” she wrote. “RJ was the first person to show me how a man is supposed to treat a woman.
“He was the first partner who encouraged me, lifted me up and made me feel capable of anything. He had one of the kindest and most extraordinary hearts I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing, and he remained a friend. I can’t believe this is real.”
The former girlfriend of Breaking Bad star RJ Mitte has paid tribute to the actor following his death by suicide at 34
Mitte portrayed Walter “Flynn” White Jr. in the Bryan Cranston-led series Breaking Bad
She continued: “There is no lifetime in which I could ever forget him or the way he made me feel. He was truly one of a kind.
“Thank you for everything, always, RJ. I love you, homie.”
Mitte’s death comes roughly a year after he became engaged to Kennedy Suarez, proposing on the occasion of her 30th birthday.
“I’m thrilled to have found my person and life partner, someone who inspires me to become better in everything we do,” Mitte told People.
He added that Suarez was his “everything” and said he was looking forward to officially beginning their life together and discovering what the future would bring.
Mitte proposed during the 56th annual Dia del Sol benefit in Carlsbad, California, a fundraising event supporting United Cerebral Palsy of San Diego, where he served as an ambassador.
After the engagement, Suarez celebrated on Instagram, writing that her 30th birthday felt like a fairytale because she was beside the man of her dreams while doing what they loved most: helping others.
From 2008 through 2013, Mitte appeared in 56 episodes of Breaking Bad as Walter White’s son. Cranston played Walter, a terminally ill high school chemistry teacher who turns to manufacturing methamphetamine with his former student, Jesse Pinkman, played by Aaron Paul.
Saint Sasha shared emotional throwback images of the couple, remembering Mitte as the first man to show her how a woman should be treated
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The actor’s death was reported about a year after he became engaged to Kennedy Suarez on her 30th birthday
Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at three, Mitte later became a prominent advocate for performers and entertainment professionals with disabilities.
In a statement issued Monday, Mitte’s representative told TMZ: “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte.”
‘RJ Mitte was best known for his role as Walter “Flynn” White Jr on AMC’s critically acclaimed, award-winning series Breaking Bad.
‘Drawing from his own experience living with cerebral palsy, Mitte brought authenticity to the role and built a platform on disability awareness and inclusion.
‘Beyond entertaining friends and family around the world, he served as an ambassador for United Cerebral Palsy and Shriners Children’s.’
CP is a group of disorders that affect movement, posture and balance due to abnormal brain development or damage.
Symptoms range from muscle stiffness and poor motor control to difficulties with balance and coordination.
During his life, Mitte called for larger representation of disabled actors on television.
‘Representation is everything, as we’ve seen over the last ten years with the growth of representation on television,’ he told WUWF in 2023.
The actor’s representative said in a statement: ‘It is with profound sadness we share the tragic passing of beloved actor, philanthropist, and passionate disability rights advocate RJ Mitte
Mitte, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at age three, appeared in 56 episodes of Breaking Bad from 2008 to 2013. Above, with series star Cranston at the Emmys in 2012
During his life, Mitte called for larger representation of disabled actors on television and said he ‘utilized everything’ he knew about his disability for Breaking Bad; pictured in the 2023 film The Unseen
‘Having positive influences of individuals with disabilities, not just cerebral palsy, but all of them, changes the mindset. TV is something that we all share; we all watch. TV really brings communities together in a way that you might not realize through social outlet.
‘I think that can really inspire individuals, and that can do wonders for confidence and self-esteem. If you see a character that’s going through the same struggle as you, and they’re succeeding, and in your life you may not be, it can help inspire you to get that extra push,’ he added.
If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US on 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org