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As we previously reported, Breaking Bad star RJ Mitte passed away on Monday.

The 34-year-old actor is believed to have died by suicide.

As millions of fans attempt to make sense of this tragic loss, those who knew Mitte best are paying tribute to a young man taken far too soon.

One former colleague who’s grieving this week is Bryan Cranston, who played Mitte’s father on Breaking Bad.

“I’m in deep despair as I write this tonight. RJ Mitte, my sweet son on Breaking Bad has died,” Cranston wrote on Instagram on Monday.

“I met him when he was only 14 years old when he was cast as Walter White Jr., a part he played with such joy and enthusiasm. Born with Cerebral Palsy, he never – ever – allowed that challenge to be an excuse for anything. He met the demanding shooting schedule head on with great determination,” the actor continued, adding:

“Always listening to the advice that his TV parents (Anna Gunn and myself) gave him – but being a teenager, sometimes mischievously ignoring the counsel in order to learn the hard way… He was one of the stars of a hit TV show – but still a kid.

“That kid was pretty raw when we started shooting the pilot in February of 2007, but little by little we watched him grow into a really fine actor. He parlayed his experience on the show to be a vocal advocate for performers with disabilities, and was the head of a philanthropic organization with a focus on helping the disabled community. All that promise and potential now is such a loss.”

Cranston went on to note that he was particularly troubled by the news that Mitte had died by suicide:

“It is especially devastating to hear that he took his own life,” he wrote. “Why? We were texting each other just a few weeks ago – figuring out when we could meet for lunch. I don’t know if that lunch would have changed his future… But I do know that I loved him, and thoroughly enjoyed being with him throughout the years on the series, and after the spotlight on Breaking Bad dimmed… I’ll miss you, son.”

Aaron Paul, who played Walt’s partner in crime Jesse Pinkman on the show, echoed Cranston’s grief in succinct fashion, writing:

“RJ, I love you my friend. You will be missed.”

Little is known about what might have led to Mitte’s decision to take his own life.

He had recently gotten engaged to his longtime girlfriend, and he had a number of film and television projects slated for release.

In an interview given not long before his death, however, Mitte hinted at financial pressures and explained that Breaking Bad had not made him wealthy.

We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.