Hershel Quote from ‘The Walking Dead’ Featured in Scott Wilson’s Memorial Program

An event program from the memorial held for late The Walking Dead star Scott Wilson at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills Saturday highlighted an iconic quote from his fan-favorite character Hershel Green.

“You step outside, you risk your life. You take a drink of water, you risk your life. And nowadays you breathe, you risk your life. Every moment now you don’t have a choice. The only thing you can choose is what you’re risking it for.”

Wilson’s Hershel made the speech in The Walking Dead 403, “Isolation,” after a dangerous infection made its way through the survivors holed up at the prison.

The former veterinarian put himself at risk to treat the sick quarantined and in need of help, despite the pleading of daughter Maggie (Lauren Cohan). When Rick (Andrew Lincoln) tried to persuade him not to risk his own health, a stern and unswayed Hershel stood his ground.

“I can make these people feel better, and hang on a little bit longer. I can save lives,” Hershel said. “That’s reason enough to risk mine.”

The 76-year-old Wilson died October 6 after a battle with leukemia, just one day before The Walking Dead‘s Season Nine premiere. He was remembered by network AMC on air through a dedication card following the season opener and more recently by a tribute video aired on live aftershow Talking Dead.

Wilson’s memorial was attended by former cast mates Andrew Lincoln, Danai Gurira, and Sarah Wayne Callies, and producer-director Greg Nicotero and director Ernest Dickerson. Lincoln delivered Wilson’s eulogy at the event.

Gurira remembered Wilson for embracing her as part of the cast when she joined the zombie drama in Season Three.

“Scott made me feel like part of the family as soon as I met him,” the Michonne actress said. “He also taught me to how to smoke a cigar.”

The Walking Dead stars past and present and other crew members have taken to social media to publish special tributes in their remembrance of Wilson since his Oct. 6 death. Emily Kinney, who played Hershel’s daughter Beth, remembered the actor as “the best TV dad a girl could ask for.”

Wilson returns as Hershel in Season Nine, reprising his role of the stubborn but good-hearted farmer for the first time since Season Four. Also returning to the series this season are former co-stars Sonequa Martin-Green and Jon Bernthal as Sasha and Shane, respectively, as part of the sendoff for Rick Grimes actor Andrew Lincoln.

Cohan previously debuted the first look at Wilson’s return to the set.

The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.