Johnny Wactor's Ex-Fiancée Tearfully Honors 'Phenomenal Actor' Following His Tragic Death: 'Such a Bright Soul'

The 'General Hospital' actor was shot and killed on Saturday, May 25 at age 37

Johnny Wactor's ex-fiancée Tessa Farrell is sharing the highest of praises for the General Hospital actor after his sudden and tragic death.

PEOPLE confirmed that the General Hospital actor's brother was shot and killed by armed car thieves on Saturday, May 25. He was 37.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, Farrell took to Instagram and TikTok to reflect on the tragic loss.

“This guy was so popular," Farrell said through tears on May 27 as she began the six-minute video. "He was so fun, such a bright soul, he just lit up the room and he was just... Yeah, he had his human flaws, too, but he always sought to improve himself."

According to Farrell, the pair met in 2013 when they had both moved to Hollywood to pursue acting. "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. Our lives were both forever changed and I’m so happy that he found sobriety after that relationship," she explained.

"I was able to guide him to AA and he was there for the rest of his life and sober and proud," she continued. "And he booked that amazing show and he’s a phenomenal actor and we stayed in touch after we broke up, sometimes."

Related: General Hospital Stars Pay Tribute to Johnny Wactor After His Sudden Death at 37: 'One of a Kind'

Farrell said she hadn't "seen him in a few years" since they went their separate ways but they remained in each other's lives nonetheless.

"We had to let each other go romantically, we were just better as friends. Even as friends though, he’s very distracting, so I haven’t been talking to him cause I’ve been focusing on making my movie and he always distracted me," she shared.

The actress noted how Wactor "was so selfless" and "will forever be a huge part of my journey as a human being, saying, "He was really loved and he loved all of you so much."

Related: Paying Tribute to the Celebrities Who Have Died in 2024

Later in the video, Farrell addressed the armed car thieves specifically as she said, "You shot the wrong guy," and expressed hope for the creation of "legislation to prevent this from happening."

"It’s so sad that this is how he had to get taken from us, because he cared so much about doing the right thing and earning things, he taught me that," she added. "I will always love him."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

The late actor’s brother Grant Wactor told PEOPLE that Johnny “did not confront” the armed car thieves, who he and a female co-worker saw trying to steal his car’s catalytic converter around 3:25 a.m. on Saturday.

“He did not try to stop them. He was just trying to diffuse the situation by stepping back,” Grant explained, noting that his brother put his body in front of his female colleague and had put his hands up when he was shot.

“We're definitely hoping and praying that they find them and can bring them to justice,” Grant said of the suspects, who remain "outstanding," according to LAPD officer Jeff Lee.

“We just want it to be done as quickly as possible and correctly.”

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.