RJ Mitte’s sister Lacianne Carriere remembered the late actor as a strong support system who helped her during some of the family’s most difficult times.
Carriere delivered a tearful, emotional speech, honoring Mitte at his celebration of life event on Oct. 16 in Brownsville, Texas, where he lived. It comes days after Mitte died by suicide, his representatives confirmed. He was 34.
In her speech, Carriere spoke about how Mitte ultimately became a father-figure to her during her earliest years, as their family navigated a devastating car accident that left their mother severely injured.
“R.J. Mitte was my older brother. But I not only just lost a brother, I lost my father,” Carriere told the crowd at Mitte Cultural District, an organization run by the family that hosted the event. “My mom was a single mother and when I was two weeks old, she was taken in an accident that paralyzed her from the waist down the first few years of my life, and my brother immediately took on the other role.”
Carriere added that “every part of me is R.J.”
“Every type of music I listen to, everything I watch, every game I play, our mannerisms — I just really miss my brother.”
The ceremony, which was live-streamed by the city of Brownsville, featured a number of speakers including his grandmother Anita Dianne Carriere, author M.J. Dougherty and publicist Nedda Soltani, many of whom shared sweet anecdotes about the “Breaking Bad” star.
Lacianne Carriere not only spoke about her connection to Mitte, but also her brother’s love for the city in which he lived.
“He loved Brownsville so much. He might not have been born or raised here, but this was his home,” she told the crowd. “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.”
Carriere also shared a message for those who are struggling with their mental health.
“Please don’t feel like you’re alone. You’re never alone,” she said. “And just try, try to accept the help. Try, try your hardest, and just reach out to someone.
Carriere ended on an inside joke about her brother’s truck.
“And I want to say to R.J. I’m not going to sell that nasty truck,” she said, laughing. “It’s mine now. Thank you all so much for being here.”
Mitte died on Oct. 12, according to his obituary. His mother Dyna Carriere told NBC News that her son had no history of mental illness and never saw a therapist. However, she said that he had been going through a difficult emotional time recently. Still, he made no indication that he might end his life, she said.
“For the last three months, I’d been offering for him to go to therapy, trying to get him to go there, but he was like, ‘No, I’ve got it. It’s OK. I’m handling it,’” she told NBC News.
