Former General Hospital star Johnny Wactor, who died in 2024, has been given a special award by the United States government for an act of heroism which had led to his death.Wactor was given the “Single Act of Heroism Award” by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society during an awards program on March 25 in Washington, D.C.General Hospital star died while protecting a friendJohnny Wactor | Image: Johnny Wactor/InstagramWactor was killed in the early morning hours of May 25, 2024, when he was leaving a downtown Los Angeles club where he had been bartending. Wactor, who played Brando Corbin on General Hospital, encountered several men trying to steal the catalytic converter from his car, and one of them shot him.Wactor’s friend and coworker Anita Joy was with him, and Wactor kept her from being shot as well. The alleged killer is awaiting trial, and two others have been sentenced for their roles in the robbery.Wactor was one of the people honored for their bravery during the Citizen Honors Awards program, which, according to the official website, “honors Americans for their heroism and selfless service. The award is given to individuals who risk their lives for the benefit of others in a dire situation, or who have dedicated themselves to the service of others through a prolonged series of selfless acts. The award is a testament to the values embodied by the Medal of Honor, such as courage, sacrifice, integrity, commitment, patriotism, and citizenship.”Remembering Johnny WactorIn the listing honoring Wactor, the former GH star “made the ultimate sacrifice to protect his coworker from armed attackers. When confronted with a violent threat, Johnny instinctively placed himself between danger and another person, shielding her with his own body. His courageous act saved her life and reflects his lifelong commitment to protecting others, even at the cost of his own.”The medal was presented to his mother, Scarlett Wactor, during the ceremony by retired US Army Command Sergeant Major Gary Littrell.The organization posted a tribute video from the ceremony on its YouTube page, which you can see below. The Instagram account, Johnny Wactor World (which can be seen below), posted a clip of the program’s emcee describing the fatal encounter and Littrell presenting Scarlett Wactor with the medal.The tribute video, which is nearly six minutes long, shows interviews with Scarlett, Johnny’s brother Grant Wactor, and Anita Joy, plus other personal friends of Johnny’s. The video shows numerous pictures and videos from the fallen GH star’s life and career, including several personal pictures with co-stars.Wactor's family and fans paid tribute to him View this post on Instagram Instagram PostGrant Wactor shared photos and videos from the ceremony on his Instagram account, captioning it, “Thank you to the Congressional Medal of Honor society for bringing us out to accept the single act of heroism award on Johnny's behalf. Got to meet 20 or more Medal of Honor recipients over the week and hear their stories. It was an amazing experience to see Johnny honored and be around this select group. We will be back to utilize all the museums one day!”The owner of the johnnywactorworld account, Danielle Jacapraro, posted several items about the award, saying she nominated Wactor for the award to the Medal of Honor society.“I nominated Johnny for this award because he spent his whole life giving to his craft, to his friends, to strangers, to anyone who needed a little light, and he was rarely recognized the way he deserved. He was a gifted actor and a genuinely good man, but so much of what made him special happened quietly, without applause. This was my way of making sure that, at least once, the world saw the goodness he carried and honored him for the love, bravery, and integrity he lived by every day. You deserved this, Johnny. You earned every bit of this recognition simply by being who you were. Forever proud of you, Johnny.”Catch all-new episodes of General Hospital weekdays on ABC and Hulu.