On the eve of The Walking Dead’s Season 9 premiere, unfortunate news came to the public and was then shared at the New York Comic Con conference that Scott Wilson, who portrayed the character Hershel Greene on the series, had passed away at the age of 76.

Hershel lived dangerously in the series, having kept walkers on his property in an attempt to find a cure for the disastrous apocalypse that was (and still is) consuming the world of the series. This, of course, meant he was closer to the danger, with a constant threat looming of walkers breaking out of their enclosure and attacking any humans who lived near.

Despite being one of the central characters on the show, Hershel did face his own death at the hands of the series’ writers after a few years, in which his character became one of the group that also includes Rick Grimes and Daryl Dixon. This was certainly not an expected death either, as the man faced a grisly murder at the hands of the crazed governor, whom frightened everyone in the city until his own demise. Behind him, Hershel left two daughters, Beth and Maggie. Beth herself was killed later in the series, thereby weakening the thread still attached to the late Hershel. Maggie, however, is still living, and is taking care of her young child, whom she named after the baby’s grandfather.

Scott was one of the greats, both as an actor and a man. We in #TheWalkingDeadFamily are truly grief stricken. He lived life to the fullest with his true love, his wife Heavenly. He is now a shining star in heaven spreading kindness and light forever. #RIP #ScottWilson https://t.co/aba9IzvUAB

— Gale Anne Hurd (@GunnerGale) October 7, 2018

The previous tweet is from Gale Anne Hurd, who is an executive producer of The Walking Dead.

Wilson also had an extensive acting career that spanned for decades. He can be seen in many films including In the Heat of the Night, In Cold Blood, and The Ninth Configuration. In addition to his role on The Walking Dead, Wilson also appeared in several other television shows, like CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Bosch, and The OA. He will even be appearing in at least one more episode of The Walking Dead, as he was filmed for flashback footage for the newest season of the program, before his passing.

After taking off from college in Georgia before hitchhiking his way to Los Angeles, Wilson created a remarkable acting career for himself, for which he will always be remembered. In a statement released by AMC after his death, the network said, “Scott will always be remembered as a great actor and we all feel fortunate to have known him as an even better person.” The series premiere of The Walking Dead, which aired last night, even included a tribute to the beloved actor at the end of the episode.