"Parks And Recreation" star Aziz Ansari, 30, took to Facebook and Tumblr to pay tribute to Harris Wittels, who was found dead at his apartment in Los Angeles on Feb. 19 at the age of 30.
In a Facebook message, Ansari, called Wittels his friend, colleague and hero and linked to his 2,800-word tribute published on his Tumblr blog, in which he writes, "There are so few people that you meet in life that give you that feeling that you've found a real unique, original person."
"Harris Wittels was one of those and we lost him yesterday. He was 30 years old. I've been devastated," wrote Ansari about his fellow "Parks And Recreation" writer and executive producer.
"I'm still waiting for the other phone call to let me know that Harris is okay and this was all a horrible misunderstanding" Ansari wrote, "I don't know when my brain is going to be able to process the terrible feeling that fills my heart with dread and my eyes with tears every 20 seconds when I realize this very special person is really gone."
While there were no signs of trauma to Wittels' body, police found drug paraphernalia in his apartment, TMZ has learned.
Created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, "Parks And Recreation" also stars Amy Poehler, Aubrey Plaza, Chris Pratt, Nick Offerman, Jim O'Heir, Retta, Rashida Jones, Adam Scott, Rob Lowe, Paul Schneider, Jay Jackson, Mo Collins, Yvans Jourdain, Ben Schwartz, Jon Glaser, and Andrew Burlinson, among others.
Aside from "Parks And Recreation," Ansari also does the voice of Darryl in the TV series "Bob's Burgers."