Actor Wyatt Knight , best remembered for his role as Tommy Turner in the ’80s trilogy Porky’s, was found dead in Hawaii last week after reportedly committing suicide.
Maui law enforcement say that Knight’s body was discovered on October 26 in an isolated area near a home where he had been staying, but there is no word yet on whether or not the home belonged to him. Reports from the Washington Post say that an autopsy later determined Knight died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
In a statement provided to TheWrap , Knight’s wife Silvina revealed that the 56-year-old actor had undergone a bone marrow transplant for stage 4 non-hodgkins lymphoma in 2003, which led to a difficult recovery process.
“He was tired of the pain, and after much contemplation, chose to end his life in a beautiful and a serene place,” Silvana explained in her statement. “His family and friends are devastated. “Wyatt was an incredibly talented, intelligent and loving person with an amazing spirit. He is free and at peace.”
Knight’s wife didn’t provide any information about memorial services.
In addition to his prominent role in “Porky’s,” Knight also appeared in television shows such as “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “M*A*S*H*,” “Pacific Blue,” “T.J. Hooker,” and “Chicago Hope.”
In addition to Silvana, he is survived by two children from a previous marriage.
In memory of Wyatt Knight, watch him in the hilarious “snake scene” from Porky’s 2 below:
