‘General Hospital’ Star Giovanni Mazza Says Johnny Wactor’s Death Will ‘Stay With All of Us’

The General Hospital “family” will not forget their late costar Johnny Wactor, who died last month.

“I do believe that it'll stay with all of us,” Giovanni Mazza, who joined the soap opera in May as Gio Palmieri, exclusively told Us Weekly on Friday, June 7, at the 51st Annual Daytime Emmy Awards. “I didn't personally know him, but I know a lot of actors and actresses and … the entire family just mourns his loss.”

Mazza continued, “We strive forward with his memory and we move on and do our best for him.”

Wactor, who played Brando Corbin on GH, died on May 25 after a fatal shooting in Los Angeles. He was 37.

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Wactor’s mother, Scarlett, confirmed his death a day later, telling TMZ the tragedy left “a huge hole in the family’s heart.” An autopsy obtained by Us Weekly confirmed that Wactor died by homicide. His manner of death was listed as a gunshot wound to the chest.

Wactor had been out with a colleague at the time of the attack and was allegedly trying to protect her from the perpetrators. Wactor’s brother Grant later explained to the Daily Mail that his brother recently finished a bartending shift and was headed out to the parking lot with his coworker.

“We’re Southern, born and raised, and we would never let a female walk to their car by herself,” Grant told the outlet at the time. “He came across them and he thought his truck was being towed. So he said something to the guys, like, ‘Hey, are you towing?’ And then once he turned around, he saw what was happening and he put his coworker behind him. And that’s when they shot him.”

Wactor is survived by his parents and siblings.

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“I called him, three or four times, tried to text him. No one was 100 percent sure. That is what they had been told by friends of friends,” Grant told Extra on May 28. “I was calling the hospital, called the police as many times I could, had a hard time getting through until I finally got somebody to put me in touch with the detective. Once I got a hold of the detective, we were pretty confident that we were right.”

Several of Wactor’s GH costars later took to social media to share their condolences.

“Johnny was the absolute best. So genuine. So caring. Incredibly hard-working and humble,” Sofia Mattson, whose character Sasha Gilmore was married to Brando on General Hospital, wrote via Instagram last month. "With a huge heart that spread so much kindness and joy. He always made sure everyone around him felt seen, heard and loved.”

She concluded, "I admire the man he was so much and I’m a better person for having known him. We shared so many special moments, both on and off screen, and I will forever cherish them deeply in my heart. You will be so incredibly missed Johnny … I’m sure you’re already busy taking care of everyone up there.”

With reporting by Sarah Jones