Late 'Breaking Bad' star RJ Mitte remembered for cerebral palsy advocacy
RJ Mitte is being remembered for his advocacy work for the disability community.
The actor, known for his roles as Walter White, Jr./Flynn in "Breaking Bad" and Campbell Bingman in "Switched at Birth," died Monday at the age of 34, a representative for Mitte confirmed to ABC News.
Mitte's "Breaking Bad" co-star Bryan Cranston said Mitte died by suicide.
Mitte was born with cerebral palsy, also abbreviated as CP, a type of motor disability that is estimated to impact about 2.4 per 1,000 children in the U.S., per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to the CDC, cerebral palsy is a condition caused by abnormal brain development or brain injury in infancy or early childhood that can affect a person's ability to control their muscles, movement, balance, or posture.
CP symptoms can vary in severity and include different signs such as a lack of muscle coordination, stiff or tight muscles, weakness in the arms or legs, an unusual gait, such as walking on the toes, tremors or random involuntary movements, and can lead to intellectual or learning issues, epilepsy, developmental delays and other challenges.
Some people with severe CP may need to use special equipment to walk or may need lifelong care.
Mitte was outspoken about having and living with cerebral palsy, which he said he was diagnosed with at about 3 years old.
"I was in a lot of physical and occupational and speech therapy," Mitte said in an interview with Vice in 2016. "I was what you would call a severe toe walker. What they would do is they would bend my foot as far as they could bend it, which was not fun, and they would cast it. And every some, couple of weeks, I would cut the cast off and bend it further and bend it further until the foot was flat."
In an Instagram tribute to Mitte, Shriners Children's said the late actor received care for cerebral palsy at Shriners Children’s Shreveport as a child before he worked with the healthcare system as a patient ambassador and spokesperson for their anti-bullying campaign.
At first, Mitte said he didn't want to be known as an advocate for people with disabilities but changed his mind over time and began working with organizations such as the United Cerebral Palsy, a nonprofit where he served as an honorary trustee.
Mitte said he never let CP keep him from living his life and achieving his goals.
"I have cerebral palsy (CP), but I've never let it hold me back," Mitte wrote in a 2014 personal essay. "Thinking back, maybe this was a lesson I learnt from my granddad, who was a Marine. When I was growing up, I was never allowed to say the words 'no', 'can't', 'won't' - it was always yes, yes sir! So whenever I heard people tell me I'd never walk or talk properly, I would always hear his voice, telling me, 'You can and you will!"
Mitte used his platform as an actor and star to show others the breadth of what people living with CP can do and accomplish.
"I spoke to a group of young disabled people in London, at an event organised by the disability charity Scope. I was there to talk about my experiences as an actor and the challenges I've faced. I want to show young disabled people that if you put your mind to it anything is possible," Mitte wrote in his essay.
Mitte most recently opened up in an interview for the Joe Vulpis podcast and said being on "Breaking Bad" for all five seasons of the hit drama gave him one of the "greatest" gifts.
"That’s really the greatest thing that ‘Breaking Bad’ has given me is to be able to lend my voice to causes that make a meaningful impact, that changes people’s lives," Mitte said.
If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide -- free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call or text the national lifeline at 988.
