Houston Tumlin, who was known for his role in Talladega Nights, has died by suicide at the age of 28 years old.
The actor was found in his Alabama home on Tuesday with a gunshot which was said to be self-inflicted. On Sunday, Houston Tumlin’s mourning mother spoke to TMZ and confessed that she is heartbroken.
Michelle explained that her son suffered from a post-traumatic stress disorder and fought with depression after serving in the US Army for almost six years.
She told TMZ: “Houston received a different set of wings.”
She added: “Houston Lee Tumlin was so much more than a child actor from Talladega Nights. My beautiful boy brought joy to everyone he encountered and made them feel special. Houston fought his battle for years, and we will continue to fight for him.”
Some of y’all might know who this is. This is Houston Tumlin, aka “Hooty”. He was “Walker” in Talladega Nights (Will Ferrell’s Son). I graduated with him and he was one of the funniest guys I’ve ever met. He recently passed, and words can’t describe how hard this is. RIP buddy. pic.twitter.com/aOFkn61dzI
— MATCH1N (@match1n_) March 24, 2021
Houston Tumlin was 13 years old when he played Walker Bobby in the movie Talladega Nights alongside Will Ferrell.
According to Shelby County coroner Lina Evans, Tumlin died at 4:30 p.m. from a gunshot wound to his head. The actor and soldier had been dating Charity Robertson since earlier this month, according to his Facebook account.
She was in the house when he died, reports say. His Instagram account was full of selfies smiling and looking happy, as well as photos of his dog, Allie.
He was best known for his role playing Will Ferrell’s character’s son in Talladega Nights, which earned more than $163 million and was one of the highest-ranking comedy movies in the 2000s.
It is not known how far Tumlin pursued a career in acting, but he joined the military as an E-4 specialist in the 101st Airborne Division.
He earned multiple accolades, including the Army Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
At the end of his military career, he went on to work repairing electrical wires and telephone lines in Alabama.
His girlfriend, Charity Robertson, shared her grief publicly on social media, saying that she felt “numb, defeated, lost, empty” following her partner’s death.
She described her pain as a “really bad dream” and their time together as “the best experience” of her life.
Tumlin’s sister, Hayden, also posted to social media this week, saying that the loss of her brother did not “feel real.”
She described her brother as “special” and said that she would love him forever.
He appeared to have a close relationship with his family, with some family members appearing on his social media, with the most recent post showing him with his arm around his mother.
