Stuntman John Bernecker, 33, suffered a fall Wednesday afternoon on the set of the AMC show “The Walking Dead.” He was airlifted to the Atlanta Medical Center, where he passed away at 6:30 p.m.
Stuntman fell over 20 feet from a balcony while filming 'The Walking Dead'
As reported by Variety, Bernecker suffered a fall of more than 20 feet from a balcony, falling on to a concrete floor and suffering a head injury. An assistant director on “The Walking Dead” said the stuntman had missed a safety cushion by mere inches and had tried to arrest his fall by grabbing onto a railing with both hands.
He was immediately flown by helicopter to the Atlanta Medical Center but passed away.
Coweta County Coroner Richard Hawk said Bernecker’s death was caused by blunt force trauma and was ruled accidental.
A stuntman from The Walking Dead who had an accident today on set has died, RIP John Bernecker. Thank you for all that you did for the show. pic.twitter.com/b9QdDwdOng
— The Walking Dead (@TheWalkingNews) July 14, 2017
AMC saddened over Bernecker's accident on set
Prior to the announcement of the stuntman’s death, AMC had said in a media statement they are saddened to report that Bernecker, who they described as a talented stuntman, had suffered serious injuries following a tragic accident on set.
The statement continued by saying the stuntman had been transported to a hospital in Atlanta, adding they have temporarily stopped production and are keeping Bernecker and his family in their prayers and thoughts.
Bernecker has worked as a stuntman on several films and TV shows, with his latest films being “Logan,” “The Fate of the Furious” and “Get Out.”
Investigations into circumstances surrounding stuntman's death
According to a report by the LA Times, both the Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) and the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists have on Friday opened investigations in the circumstances surrounding Bernecker’s accident and death.
The Times quotes David Michaels of OSHA as saying back in 2015 that he finds it “truly remarkable” that with all the “ultra-advanced technology” available to make spectacular films, production companies all too often won’t provide the right resources to ensure their workers are not injured or killed on the job.
Some cast members of "The Walking Dead" have responded to Bernecker's death on Twitter.
Deep sorrow today, and for every tomorrow. Love, respect, and condolences to johns family, and friends. He will be forever missed.
— Jeffrey Dean Morgan (@JDMorgan) July 14, 2017
No words can express my sadness for John Bernecker and his family. Thank you all for having them in your thoughts and prayers also.
— Lauren Cohan (@LaurenCohan) July 14, 2017
Other recent stunt accidents
Bernecker’s death on set is not the first recent tragedy among stunt performers. Olivia Jackson, a stuntwoman on the movie “Resident Evil: The Final Chapter” was seriously injured in a motorcycle accident relating to a metal camera arm. Among her injuries, Jackson suffered a severed neck injury, several nerves torn from the spinal column, a degloved face and severe arm injuries that led to amputation.
Jackson was in a medically induced coma for two weeks.
Another accident on set several months later saw another crew member killed while filming “Resident Evil.” Ricardo Cornelius was pinned under a U.S. Army Hummer on set, while it was being manually rotated, leading to his death.
