Peter Mayhew, the actor who portrayed the iconic Star Wars character Chewbacca, has passed away at the age of 74. His family released an official statement on his verified https://twitter.com/TheWookieeRoars/status/1124077256240967681 page on Thursday, revealing that the actor passed on April 30. 'The family of Peter Mayhew, with deep love and sadness, regrets to share the news that Peter has passed away. He left us the evening of April 30, 2019 with his family by his side in his North Texas home,' the statement began.' RIP: Peter Mayhew, the actor who played Chewbacca in the original Star Wars trilogy, has passed away at the age of 74 Gone but not forgotten: His family released an official statement on his verified Twitter page on Thursday, revealing that the actor passed on April 30 'Peter was the man behind the mask of Chewbacca in the original Star Wars trilogy, episode 3 of the prequels and the new trilogy,' the statement continued. 'He fought his way back from being wheelchair-bound and stand tall to portray Chewbacca once more in Star Wars: The Force Awakens,' the statement said. 'He also consulted on The Last Jedi in an attempt to teach his successor,' the statement read, referring to Joonas Suotamo, the Finnish basketball player who took over as Chewbacca in The Last Jedi. Chewie: 'He fought his way back from being wheelchair-bound and stand tall to portray Chewbacca once more in Star Wars: The Force Awakens,' the statement said The 7-foot-2-inch tall Mayhew was plucked from obscurity in 1976, when he was working as an orderly at London's King's College Hospital. Producer Charles H. Schneer cast him as a minotaur in Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger after seeing a photograph of Mayhew in an article about a man with large feet. That lead to Mayhew being cast as Chewbacca in 1977's Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, and the rest is history. Before Chewie: The 7-foot-2-inch tall Mayhew was plucked from obscurity in 1976, when he was working as an orderly at London's King's College Hospital 'He put his heart and soul into Chewbacca and it showed in every frame of the films, from his knock kneed running, firing his bowcaster from the hip, his bright blue eyes, down to each subtle movement of his head and mouth,' the statement continued. 'But to him, the Star Wars family meant so much more to him than a role in a film,' the statement added.' Mayhew was a mainstay at Star Wars conventions around the world, including the bi-annual Star Wars Celebration, and he was heavily involved in the Make-A-Wish foundation, Wounded Warriors and the Star Wars organization the 501st Legion, a fan collective that creates authentic props and costumes. Heart and soul: 'He put his heart and soul into Chewbacca and it showed in every frame of the films, from his knock kneed running, firing his bowcaster from the hip, his bright blue eyes, down to each subtle movement of his head and mouth,' the statement continued He also established The Peter Mayhew Foundation, which supported 'individuals and families in crisis situations, to providing, 'food and supplies for children of Venezuela during their recent road to freedom. All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility