How WHEN CALLS THE HEART’s Jack Wagner Learned to ‘Let Go’

Published: November 21, 2024

How WHEN CALLS THE HEART’s Jack Wagner Learned to ‘Let Go’

By Movieguide® Contributor

WHEN CALLS THE HEART star Jack Wagner says his decades in Hollywood have taught him how to “let go.”

“I’m able to let go of things I used to attach to, obsess about and that disturbed me,” the actor told PEOPLE. “And the things that I think our ego attaches to, we are able to put in proper perspective. That’s what age has given me.”

Wagner continued, “I can get into the present moment, center myself and to ask an old phrase, how important is it? Now I’m able to witness that and just sort of be the witness and be wise….How can I witness this, slowly let it go and release it? That is what real personal and spiritual growth is about, in my opinion. That’s how we heal. I would call it healing. And that’s what the 60s has given me, to be able to heal what I was unconscious of.”

That idea of healing through personal and spiritual growth helped Wagner as he struggled with the death of his son Harrison, who passed away in 2022 from an accidental drug overdose. He was 27.

Wagner and his ex-wife Kristina Wagner established the Harrison Wagner Scholarship Fund in honor of their son.

“We’ve helped countless young addicts who desperately need the treatment and recovery,” he explained. “It’s about accountability and learning how to live life drug-free.”

A tribute to Harrison on the scholarship’s web page reads, “Harrison was a bright, exuberant young man whose smile lit up any room he was in. He has left behind many men and family members who loved him deeply. We are heartbroken that he ultimately lost his battle with addiction and we hope that Harrison’s memory will live on through this scholarship and will help other young men get help for their addiction that would not otherwise be able to afford it.”

Wagner has also spoken about the important role faith plays in his life, telling Movieguide® that faith “has been a big part of my life for years.”