41 year-old "The Last Dragon" star Leo O'Brien passed away yesterday morning in New York City, according to family and friends on Facebook.

The NYdaily reports:

The cause of death was not released. But his friend and former castmate, Taimak Guarriello said, "He's been through a lot of tough times, and it's unfortunate."

O'Brien was reportedly trying to put his past behind him and resurrect an acting career, was shot three times in Harlem last year after an argument with an acquaintance.

"I'm a fast healer-- Kind of a mutant, he told the Daily News at the time. "I've been told if this happened to someone else, they'd be dead.


And after hearing about the shooting last September, Taimak Guarriello who played Bruce Leroy, rekindled his relationship with O'Brien while he was in the hospital.

Guarriello had this to say:

"This is a movie that touched a lot of hearts and he was wonderful in it," said Guarriello. 

"I think people should remember him as the talent that he was," he said. "He was a sweetheart and he had a good sense of humor."

The actor then added, that he learned of his pal’s death from O’Brien’s son, Drew, who mourned his father on Facebook with the message: “R.I.P to my father Leo Obrien. You will be dearly missed. I love you.”