Celebrities | Sep 06, 2022 11:19 PM EDT

Michael K. Williams Honored on His 1st Death Anniversary: How Did He Die?

By Alexandria Reeves

Michael K. Williams stays in people's hearts one year after his death.

Hollywood dealt with a heartbreaking event after Williams died a year ago. Although losing him remains as devastating as ever, his fans and colleagues opted to celebrate his life online.

They expressed how it had been a waste that Williams could no longer appear in any flicks after his death.

Meanwhile, some of them made him an inspiration to overcome their own issues and beat their demons.

We lost an amazingly talented actor and powerful messenger a year ago today. He cared about his Brooklyn community and organized around the issues of policing and gun violence. Gone too soon. Michael K. Williams. Rest in Power. pic.twitter.com/TlrhyGKVbI
— Latrice Walker (@TheRealLatriceW) September 6, 2022

Fans' comments came weeks after his "Breaking" co-star, John Boyega, conversed with Entertainment Tonight on Wednesday during the 2022 ESPY Awards. He publicly showed his love and respect for the late star and how he would remain a part of him for the rest of his life.

"I actually requested him to be in this movie, and he came through. Got paid peanuts just to be a part of the art, so we'll forever love you, brother. To see the trailer today brought back all those emotions and feelings and just being on set with him," he said.

Williams managed to film the movie before his death, and Bleecker Street dropped the trailer of it in June.

The 2022 film, which was released on August 26, explores the life of Marine veteran Brian Brown-Easley, played by Boyega. He ends up taking a bank as a hostage after the Veterans Affairs.

Michael K. Williams' Death

The heartbreak happened when the then-54-year-old star was found dead by his nephew in the dining room of his Brooklyn penthouse. He called for help to save the "unresponsive and cold man." But 12 minutes after he was found that afternoon, the responders pronounced him dead.

Authorities immediately suspected a drug overdose after finding heroin on the kitchen table. They also said that there was nothing suspicious about his passing.

However, the police later revealed that four men, who were believed to be members of the drug distribution crew that gave the actor the drug, were tracked. Williams reportedly consumed fentanyl-laced heroin, which led to his death.

One of them was Irvin Cartagena, who personally sold the deadly substance to the actor.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams and New York City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell, according to Associated Press, disclosed that the four men were arrested and put in custody. There were already criminal complaints filed in Manhattan federal court.