‘General Hospital’ actor Johnny Wactor’s close friend, who held him as he died, reveals soap star’s tragic last words
The close pal who was with Johnny Wactor when he was gunned down over the weekend has revealed his tragic last words as he realized he was shot — and how she repeatedly begged the actor to “stay with me” as he died in her arms.
“I was with Johnny in his last moments and I’m here to be his voice after such unimaginable events,” wrote Anita Joy as she revealed herself as the bar co-worker the “General Hospital” actor shielded from the bullet.
“He was killed senselessly by a coward who reacted without care of the gorgeous life he was taking,” she wrote.
“My friend of 8 years went from laughing together, working side by side, leaving our bartending shift and walking to our cars, to him dying in my arms in the streets of [downtown Los Angeles] in the dark hours of 3 a.m.”
Joy wrote of how she and Wactor “cautiously approached” the men fiddling with his car, seemingly to steal his catalytic converter, “at first thinking the car was being towed.”
“We were no threat and Johnny kept his cool as he always did, simply stating that it was his car and for them to leave. Hands open to his sides in peace.”
Joy confirmed that the actor stood between her and the shooter, which his mom earlier cited as proof he was a “hero.”
She likened the speed of what happened next to trying to knocking over a glass and seeing the water “just runs through your fingertips and is gone.”
“As I heard the shot ring into the night, [Wactor] forcefully tumbled back into my arms,” she recalled.
“As I grabbed for him, I shouted ‘Hunny you ok?!’ And he only responded, ‘Nope! Shot!’
“We toppled onto the street where I pushed my legs under him and tried to hold his body up while screaming for help and screaming at him to stay with me.”
The bar’s security guard rushed over after calling 911. They performed CPR of Wactor as they waited for emergency services to arrive.
Joy said she and the security guard, named Bryan, “tied my denim jacket” around Wactor to stop the bleeding.
“It was too close range, too extreme of a wound for him to survive it but my god, he fought to stay,” she wrote.
“I am utterly heartbroken and so very angry.
“My only peace is that I was with him and this didn’t happen to him alone – my only other peace will be seeing these awful men brought to justice,” she added.
Wactor’s mother confirmed to NBC News that Anita Joy was the friend who was with her son when he was shot in the chest.
Joy, meanwhile, paid tribute to her “beautiful, goofy as hell” friend, praising his “genuine nature” and how he “lit up a room.”
“His energy was magnetic and pulled you in so effortlessly — you were safe with him,” she wrote.
“He treated everyone with love, respect, compassion and he really ‘saw’ you. He was beautiful, goofy as hell, full of work ethic and values,” she wrote.
“He called me ‘Anita Bonita’ and I hope the stamp of his voice saying that every time I saw him never leaves my memory.
“Just one look into his big blue eyes, followed by a big goofy grin, Johnny made you love him instantly.
“Absolutely one of the best men I’ve ever known,” she wrote.
“My heart is shattered with his loss but I believe l have gained the best guardian Angel out there. I love you Johnny Wacky.”
