Alec Baldwin expresses gratitude to those who supported him amid 'Rust' tragedy

Washington [US], December 24 (ANI): Actor Alec Baldwin has released a video before Christmas in which he expressed his gratitude to those who "sent me such kind words" in the wake of the tragic 'Rust' shooting.
Baldwin posted a video of himself on his Instagram account on Thursday and wrote, "Merry Christmas..." in the caption. "I wanted to take a moment to say thank you to all the people who sent me such kind words and best wishes and strength and hope and prayers, thoughts and lots of encouragement," the actor said as he stood outside.
He added, "I got hundreds, hundreds of emails from friends, family and colleagues and people I haven't heard from in quite a while to send me strength and good wishes and so forth. I'm really grateful to them."
Baldwin touched on the 'Rust' shooting that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in October, saying, "I'm looking forward to some aspects of this being behind me, of course. For everyone who is involved in this, it'll never be behind us because someone died so tragically. I never lose sight of that, not a day goes by I don't think about that."
The 'Saturday Night Live' star said he was "home with my family, the only thing I care about."
"It's true, I only care about my wife and my kids and moving forward with my life and trying to get through a tough time, a really tough time. I want to say thank you to all the people who sent me good wishes who sent me support. I'm really grateful for that, I feel very awkward going through this, it's been very difficult," Baldwin said.
He continued, "Whatever holiday you're celebrating, happy holidays to everybody. I hope that you're as lucky as I am in one department, that you're home with your family; I'm home with my family."
Baldwin added, "I don't have anything smart or original to say, just thank you to the people who sent me these great wishes. Be safe, wear a mask, get the booster. Don't let Santa Claus down the chimney without a mask."
Earlier this week, a source told People magazine, Baldwin and his wife Hilaria were focusing on "spending a quiet holiday" with their six children in the Hamptons this year.
The couple shares daughters Carmen Gabriela, and Maria Lucia Victoria, plus sons Rafael Thomas, Leonardo Angel Charles, Romeo Alejandro David and Eduardo 'Edu' Pao Lucas. Baldwin is also dad to Ireland Baldwin from his previous marriage to Kim Basinger.
The actor is currently involved in an investigation into the October death of Hutchins, who died on the set of his western film 'Rust' when a prop gun Baldwin was holding went off, killing the cinematographer. Investigators issued a search warrant for Baldwin's phone in the latest development in the case, People magazine previously reported. (ANI)