Gay porn star Hank Hightower dead at 57: ‘He passed peacefully’
"He will be missed"
Tributes have been paid to the late adult film star, Henry ‘Hank’ Hightower, who died aged 57.
Hightower, known for his body of work in the 1990s and early 2000s is said to have passed peacefully away at his home on Wednesday (1 November)
Jeff Yarbrough, a close friend of Hightower’s confirmed the news on Facebook on Thursday that.
“I will always hold you close”
“I was jolted awake by a text early this morning,” he said. “One of the (few) special guys in my life lost a health battle today.”
Yarbrough said he’d spoken to Hightower on Sunday (29 November) where the adult film star had said “so long.” Continuing, Yarbrough said: “Hank and I lived large, hard, and fast at an appropriate time for all that – late 1990s – after a shit ton of our friends had died of AIDS.
“If you knew Hank then you knew of his love for canines. If his passing moves you, please send a donation this season to an animal rescue of your choosing.”
Hightower did “a lot of volunteering,” Yarbrough mentioned referencing one Christmas Hightower spent selling Christmas trees for a dog rescue.
Yarbrough also shared part of a text he got confirming Hightower’s death. The text, as per Yarbrough, reads: “I must inform you that Henry Robert Hightower passed away today, Nov. 1, 2023, at 3:30am. As per his wishes, he died at home surrounded by his two pups. He passed peacefully. Memorial details will be sent in a few weeks.”
Yarbrough closed his post saying, “I will always hold you close, HH, and happy trails.”
On X other people posted their tributes to Hightower. One person remembered watching Hightower as he was coming out. “He will be missed,” the user added.
One account referred to Hightower as “The original muscle bear and good friend.” They continued: “He was also battling with cancer and called me 2 days ago to check up on me. Now he is gone. He will be really missed.”
Another person commented: “He was a kind soul,” while someone else wrote: “He was a Fantastic Performer, A True Legend in the Business.”