’30 Rock’ Actor Announces Tragic Death in the Family

Comedian John Lutz shared tragic news on his Instagram yesterday.

The 30 Rock star announced that his younger brother, Joel, passed away unexpectedly this past Thursday.

“My younger brother Joel passed away suddenly this past Thursday. My family and I are heartbroken. He was a funny, compassionate, and loving person,” he wrote in an Instagram post. “There are so many other things that I want to say about him, but right now I am too devastated to continue typing. I love you Joel.”

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In a follow-up post, he mourned the loss of his brother even further.

“I loved him so much and cannot express the loss I am feeling right now. Even if he was a better fisher than I was,” he wrote, attached to a picture of the two on the lake.

He then shared a link to a GoFundMe for his brother’s wife and four young children, writing, “If you can find it in your heart, please give a little or share this to help them through this tough time.”

Lutz got his start as a writer on Saturday Night Live in 2004 before joining the cast of 30 Rock in 2006, which is itself based on Tina Fey’s experiences as a writer on SNL.

He played JD Lutz, a writer for 30 Rock‘s fictional sketch comedy show (which is also based on SNL), and a comically exaggerated and purposefully annoying version of himself; his character is self-described in the series finale as “dumb, old, uncool, part-Inuit, bisexual, 51-year-old Lutz.” He appeared in 77 of the series’ 138 episodes, often as the group’s punching bag and target of ridicule.

30 Rock is one of the most beloved comedies of all time and is often referred to as one of the greatest TV shows ever made. It was nominated for a record-breaking 103 Emmy Awards, and won plenty of them, including back-to-back wins for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2007, 2008, and 2009.