Fort Worth

Actor Bill Paxton's Hometown of Fort Worth Mourns His Death

Community members and friends reacted to the death of actor Bill Paxton, a Fort Worth native, saying the actor known for titles such as "Apollo 13" and "Titanic" always remembered his Texas roots. 

Fort Worth businessman Steve Murrin was a close family friend of the Paxtons and watched Bill grow up.

A family representative issued a statement Sunday on the death but provided no further details. The 61-year-old actor died from complications related to surgery. 

"Bill was a kind guy and a dear friend," Murrin said. He added that Paxton’s packed schedule prevented him from returning often, but he always held his Texas ties tight. [[414832623,C]]

The city that took so much pride in his success was hit hard by the news of his death.

"Just complete shock. It just made me sick. He was just doing so good and he was enjoying life so well," Murrin said. "It is Fort Worth’s loss. He was a great guy and he loved Fort Worth as his hometown."

Paxton appeared in dozens of movies and television shows and seemed to be around when history was made both on and off screen. As a boy, he was in the crowd that welcomed President John F. Kennedy in Texas on the morning of Nov. 22, 1963, hours before Kennedy was killed in Dallas.

Paxton left Fort Worth at the age of 18 to pursue his dreams of acting.

Paxton was currently starring in the CBS drama "Training Day," which premiered Feb. 2. The network has not yet announced whether it will continue to air the completed episodes. [[414815273,C]]

NBC News contributed to this report.

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