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John Bernecker, the Walking Dead stuntman who was seriously injured in an on-set accident, has died.
Bernecker sustained head injuries after falling 20 feet while rehearsing a fight. Deadline reports that although the scene in question was supposed to end with a "routine fall", the stuntman "lost his footing" and hit the concrete below.
TMZ now says that Bernecker passed away on Thursday evening (July 13), after he was airlifted to Atlanta Medical Center and put on life support.
Production on the eighth season of The Walking Dead had been halted following the accident.
"John Bernecker's family has decided that he will be removed from life support, following organ donation," AMC said in a statement.
"We are deeply saddened by this loss and our hearts and prayers are with John's family, friends and colleagues during this extremely difficult time."
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Walking Dead showrunner Scott Gimple said that cast and crew were "heartbroken" by Bernecker's passing, adding: "John's work on The Walking Dead and dozens of other movies and shows will continue to entertain and excite audiences for generations
"We are grateful for his contributions, and all of us send our condolences, love, and prayers to John's family and friends."
A woman identified in the media as Bernecker's partner, Jennifer Cocker, shared a heartbreaking statement on Facebook when he was rushed to hospital, writing: "John deserves to be seen by every neurosurgeon and doctor there is until one of them sees the life we all know he has in him and bring him back to us... THIS ISN'T FAIR."
Various Walking Dead stars also had Bernecker in their thoughts.
Bernecker was an experienced stuntman who worked on Logan, 24: Legacy, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows and Marvel's Black Panther over the course of his eight-year career.
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