RJ Mitte's devastated sister breaks down at his Texas memorial service: 'He was like a father to me'

The friends and family of RJ Mitte have gathered to remember the late actor at a public celebration of life, days after his death at age 34. 

Mitte, who found fame as Walter White Jr on the hit TV series Breaking Bad, died on Monday.  

On Friday, his loved ones gathered to pay their respects at a memorial held at his family's organization, the Mitte Cultural District, in Brownsville, Texas.

It has since been confirmed that Mitte, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP), died by suicide.

Mitte's devastated younger sister Lacianne Carriere delivered an emotional speech remembering the brother who was also like a father. 

'RJ Mitte was my older brother but I not only just lost a brother, I lost my father,' she said. 

'My mom was a single mother and when I was two weeks old, she was in an accident that paralyzed her from the waist down for the first few years of my life.

'And my brother immediately took on the father role. I don't have many words that I can put together but all I can say is that every part of me is RJ.

'Every type of music I listen to, everything I watch, every game I play, our mannerisms, and I just really miss my brother.'

'He loved Brownsville so much. He might not have been born or raised here, but this was his home.

'This was his community. He loved it here and he loved all of you and he loved this city. And I want to thank you all for coming out.

'I want to say if anyone is struggling, please don't feel like you're alone. You're never alone. And just try. Try to accept the help, try.

'Try your hardest. And just reach out to someone. RJ loved this city very much and I love RJ very much. His legacy here is not going to be ending. We'll continue on with all of his dreams that he had for this place just as he would want.

'And I want to say to RJ: I'm not going to sell that nasty truck,' she said with a laugh. 'It's mine now!'

'Thank you all so much for being here.'

Mitte appeared in 56 episodes of Breaking Bad from 2008 to 2013 as the son of Bryan Cranston's leading character Walter White, a terminally ill high school chemistry teacher who creates a meth empire with Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), his inept former student.

He was diagnosed with cerebral palsy (CP) when he was three, and he went on to advocate for actors and those working in the entertainment industry with disabilities.

The actor's representative confirmed his death in a statement: 'It is with profound sadness 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.'

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.

'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.

In 2016, Mitte described how much he would 'love' to turn on the TV to watch a disabled person discuss something 'that doesn't just focus on their impairment.'

'We know lots of progress is being made, but the industry must do more to help disabled people work both in front of and behind the camera,' he told the Irish Examiner, according to Variety. 'During the Paralympics there will be more disabled people than ever before on TV, but this shouldn’t be something that just happens every four years.'

'I would love to switch on my TV and see a disabled person talking about something they are genuinely interested in or acting out a part that doesn’t just focus on their impairment.'

Mitte also credited his disability for taking him in the direction he wound down: 'I wouldn’t be in the position I am in today without my disability,' he said. 'I utilized everything I know about living with cerebral palsy for my role in Breaking Bad.'

In 2019, five years after Breaking Bad, Mitte admitted he still missed being a part of the show's cast.

'That's going to follow me 'til the day I die,' he told The Sydney Morning Herald as he reflected on his time on the hit AMC series.

The role took Mitte's career to a whole new level and 'opened a lot of doors' for him.

'Breaking Bad put me on the map,' he told The Independent in 2021. 'You’re only talking to me today because of it. None of my projects would exist without that show and the opportunity it gave me. It really opened a lot of doors for me. I wouldn’t have the media profile and the following that I have today without Walter White Jr. I would just be some kid who lives in Texas.' 

Mitte hails from Mississippi and was six years old when he found out he was adopted.

'I was about six when I was told that I was adopted,' he told the Sydney Morning Herald in 2019. 'My stepbrother heard my mom and my then-stepdad talking and said to me, “You are adopted. They don’t love you.” I didn’t believe him, but my parents confirmed that I was. I was like, “Okay.”'

'I’ve never felt the need to track my birth mother,' he said. 'Medically, I’d like to know my family history, but until I feel that need, I have enough family and friends. I don’t need any more.'

Mitte's mother chose to adopt him as she believed she would be unable to have her own children due to an ovarian cancer diagnosis.

'The reason Mom adopted me was because she’d had ovarian cancer and was told she couldn’t have children. Then, magically, 11 years later, my sister Lacianne came along.'

Mitte's mother lost her job after a car accident left her partially paralyzed for six years, and he did all he could to keep their family afloat.

'A few months later, Mom was in a car accident and was partially paralyzed for six years. After the accident, she was fired from her job. She was a single parent, and we had just moved into a new place in Louisiana and feared we would lose everything.

'I mowed lawns, picked up stuff and took it places. I did whatever I could to scrape cash together. I have devoted my life to my mom and my sister, and I still take care of them today.' 

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