Obituary for Breaking Bad character Walter White of Albuquerque
Dave Layman,, a Science teacher and Breaking Bad fan is photographed in his classroom at Los Puentes Charter School on Thursday October 3, 2013.. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal)
These billboards are located around Albuquerque.
The plot of “Breaking Bad” was deemed too “culturally sensitive” for the show to be considered for a loan, former Gov. Bill Richardson’s film adviser told the Journal. (LEWIS JACOBS/AMC)
Walter White, played by Bryan Cranston in a scene from the series finale. (Ursula Coyote/AMC)
“Breaking Bad” fans line up to attend the finale party at Hotel Albuquerque on Sunday, where a poster marks both the end of the story and one of its themes. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal)
From left, Steven Mattern, his brother Andy Mattern and friend Justin Goldwater sport “Breaking Bad” character Heisenberg masks while attending the TV series finale. Drug kingpin Heisenberg was the alter ego of mild-mannered family man and chemistry teacher Walter White. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal)
“Breaking Bad” fans pack a ballroom at the Hotel Albuquerque to watch the popular TV series finale on Sunday — an ending to five seasons shot in Albuquerque, and an ending that had been kept secret until it aired. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Albuquerque Journal)
This image released by AMC shows Bryan Cranston as Walter White in a scene from the series finale of "Breaking Bad, airing Sunday, Sept. 29, 2013. (AP Photo/AMC, Ursula Coyote)
AMC photo shows cinematographer Michael Slovis, left, and Bryan Cranston on the set of "Breaking Bad" in Albuquerque in 2012. (AP Photo/AMC, Ursula Coyote)
"Breaking Bad' star Bryan Cranston to return to his old role as Ted's boss in "How I Met Your Mother," now in its last season on CBS. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)
Bryan Cranston, left, as Walter White and Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman in a scene from "Breaking Bad," which won the Emmy for best drama series. (AP)
From left, Saul Goodman, played by Bob Odenkirk and Walter White, played by Bryan Cranston in a scene from "Breaking Bad." AMC announced that Odenkirk will get a series spinoff called "Better Call Saul."
Bob Odenkirk, who plays Saul Goodman, on "Breaking Bad" will get his own show with a working title of "Better Call Saul."
A screen shot of the Superlab Playset from the CitizenBrick.com website.
A bag of blue “meth” is shown Aug. 9 as city tourist officials get ready to celebrate the premiere of the final season of “Breaking Bad.” (Russell Contreras/The Associated Press)
Batches of “Breaking Bad” doughnuts flew off the shelves at Rebel Donuts locations in Albuquerque on Sunday, just in time for the premiere of the TV show’s last season. (COURTESY OF REBEL DONUTS)
Walter White, Jr. (RJ Mitte), Skyler White (Anna Gunn), Marie Schrader (Betsy Brandt), Hank Schrader (Dean Norris), Walter White (Bryan Cranston), Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul), Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk), Todd (Jesse Plemons) and Lydia (Laura Fraser)
(Photo credit Frank Ockenfels/AMC)
Skyler White (Anna Gunn), left, and Walter White (Bryan Cranston) have both evolved over the course of the cult TV series “Breaking Bad,” which begins airing its final season tonight. (Courtesy of Frank Ockenfels 3/AMC)
Skyler White is living in “a place of fear … paralyzed by it,” says actress Anna Gunn, who portrays the character on “Breaking Bad” with Bryan Cranston as her husband, Walter. Filming the series in New Mexico, where Gunn’s parents live, “was a stroke of luck,” she says. (Photo by Frank Ockenfels/Courtesy of AMC)
Anna Gunn, left, who plays Skyler White opposite Bryan Cranston’s Walter White in the AMC hit series "Breaking Bad," says “the realization that it’s coming to an end is bittersweet.” The show, filmed and set in Albuquerque, premieres the first of its final eight episodes tonight. (Photo by Frank Ockenfels/Courtesy of AMC)
Jonathan Banks is shown in a scene from "Breaking Bad." Banks was nominated for an Emmy Award for best supporting actor in a drama series.
From left, Jesse Pinkman, played by Aaron Paul and Walter White, played by Bryan Cranston in a scene from episode 9 of season 5. The final eight episodes will air in August.
(Courtesy of Ursula Coyote/AMC)
Debbie Ball, 60, owner of The Candy Lady store in Albuquerque, N.M., displays her line of "meth candy" made from sugar rock candy. The store supplied some of its "meth candy" to be used as a prop for the blue crystal meth on the TV hit series "Breaking Bad." (AP Photo/Russell Contreras, File)
Bryan Cranston as Walter White at the fictional restaurant "Los Pollos Hermanos" in a scene from season 2 of the AMC series "Breaking Bad." A Twisters burrito restaurant in Albuquerque that serves as the location for the restaurant has become an international tourist attraction as people come from all over the world to see the spot where a fictional drug trafficker runs his organization. (AP Photo/AMC)
Dave Layman of Los Lunas holds an armload of clothing from the set of “Breaking Bad” in the Joy Junction thrift store. Layman, who has worked as an extra on the show, is a big fan of the series. (dean Hanson/journal)
Steven Michael Quezada of “Breaking Bad,” stands near a portrait of Bryan Cranston, the show’s star. Quezada was elected to the board of the Albuquerque Public Schools on Tuesday. He represents District 5 on the West Side. (Journal File)
Aaron Paul, left, and Bryan Cranston star as Jesse Pinkman and Walter White in the AMC series “Breaking Bad,” which is set and filmed in Albuquerque. (Courtesy of AMC/Frank Ockenfels)
At left Michael Chandross, tries to impress judges in the Bryan Cranston look-alike contest held at the YDI Wool Warehouse on Tuesday December 4, 2012 . Dozens of fans took part in the contest in tribute to the "Breaking Bad" TV series character. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal)
Actor Bryan Cranston plays Walter White on AMC's "Breaking Bad."
Debbie Hall, 60, owner of The Candy Lady store in Albuquerque, is shown displaying her new line of "meth candy" made from sugar rock candy. (AP Photo/Russell Contreras)
Actor Bryan Cranston, who plays the character Walter White on the hit television seires "Breaking Bad," jokes around with the media and asks if he has any fly away hairs before announcing his May 19 charity softball game at Isotopes Park on Tuesday. (Pat Vasquez-Cunningham/Journal)
From right, Betsy Brandt, from Breaking Bad, high fives her teammates, Bryan Cranston, also from Breaking Bad; Buck, from 104.1 FM; and Colbie Smulders, from How I Met Your Mother, at the start of the celebrity softball game at Isotopes Park, Sunday, May 8, 2011. Photo Credit - Morgan Petroski/Journal
Bryan Cranston, left, and Aaron Paul star in AMC's "Breaking Bad." The company released this photo to promote the series' fifth and final season.
Fans of the TV series Breaking Bad swarm over clothing donated from the show to Joy Junction. (Dean Hanson/Journal)
David Layman was on set when Walter White was brought to life in 2007.
The Los Lunas resident was also one of 10.3 million viewers to see White die in the final episode of AMC’s “Breaking Bad.”
Having White around for six years, Layman grew to love the character and the TV show.
The series finale inspired Layman and members of the Facebook group “Unofficial Breaking Bad Fan Tour” to place an obituary for White in today’s Journal. It is on Page A4.
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“I’ve been a humongous ‘Breaking Bad’ fan since the beginning,” Layman said. “I was actually in the pilot, and putting the obit in the paper was fitting, because the series was based in Albuquerque and it provides some of us some closure.”
“Breaking Bad” was based and filmed in Albuquerque for six years and ended its five-season run last Sunday. It followed White – a chemistry teacher turned drug kingpin – as he teamed up with a former student, Jesse Pinkman, to manufacture a special blue methamphetamine. Bryan Cranston played White, and Aaron Paul played Pinkman. Both picked up Emmy Awards for their roles.
As a die-hard fan, Layman said show creator Vince Gilligan did a fantastic job tying up loose ends in the show.
“Of course, there are a lot of us sad to see the show and Walt go,” he said. “But being able to see that part of Albuquerque and the local talent was wonderful, and many of us could feel some pride.”
As for White, Layman said fans grew to know his character and watch his transformation.
“Here’s a guy that was living paycheck to paycheck,” he said. “He ends up with cancer, has a son who is disabled, a wife who is going to have a baby and he finds some way to work it all out. He becomes unstoppable, he thinks. He’s a little man who kind of made it, even if he didn’t make it the right way.”
Not only did White transform on the show, but Layman said the show helped raise Albuquerque’s profile around the world.
“It’s brought Albuquerque into the light, and we’re no longer a stopover,” he said. “We’re a destination.”
Layman also shares a few similarities with White – he’s a high school science teacher, at Los Puentes Charter School in the North Valley, and he has a student named Jesse.
“Though I’m not a chemistry teacher,” he points out.
Obituary for Breaking Bad character Walter White of Albuquerque
Dave Layman,, a Science teacher and Breaking Bad fan is photographed in his classroom at Los Puentes Charter School on Thursday October 3, 2013.. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal)
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