How The Walking Dead Honored Late Stuntman John Bernecker in Season 8's Premiere

The Walking Dead family suffered a tragic loss in July when a stuntman on the show, John Bernecker, died while working on the set after suffering serious injuries. The people working on AMC's zombie drama clearly haven't forgotten the shocking death of the 33-year-old, who was honored during the season eight premiere on Sunday night.

The stuntman, whose previous projects include Black Panther and Logan, suffered a fatal head injury after falling almost 25 feet onto a concrete floor. AMC immediately halted production on the series, but Bernecker passed away shortly after the incident at Atlanta Medical Center. The show later released a statement via Twitter, saying, "We are deeply saddened by the loss of John Bernecker. He will always be part of the TWD family. Our hearts go out to his family and friends."

As the season eight opening of The Walking Dead concluded, a black and white title card revealed that the episode, "Mercy," had been dedicated to Bernecker's memory. The episode was also done in memory of legendary director George A. Romero, who died in July after a battle with lung cancer. Romero's groundbreaking foray into the zombie genre paved the way for The Walking Dead, so it's touching to see both him and Bernecker honored for their contributions to the series.