(LibertySons.org) – Tyler Christopher acted on “General Hospital,” playing Nikolas Cassadine for over 20 years from 1996 to 2016, earning four daytime Emmy nominations and winning once. On Tuesday, October 31, a close friend found Christopher dead in his apartment around 9:30 a.m. Law enforcement sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity, indicated the 50-year-old had died up to a day before of an apparent cardiac event.
Tributes from friends and colleagues expressed shock and disbelief at the tragedy. Many alluded to the fact that Christopher openly discussed his issues with bipolar depression and alcohol addiction. In fact, he wrote about his struggles in an op/ed for Reader’s Digest, hoping to help others.
In the article, he wrote about struggling with his mental health before working toward addiction recovery. He also spoke with General Hospital co-star Maurice Benard about his struggles on Benard’s “State of Mind” podcast. He admitted that losing his roles on “General Hospital” and “Days of Our Lives” devastated him “for a myriad of reasons.” Yet the two that hurt him most were that he lost “the thing that I love the most” because he “threw it away.” He acknowledged his responsibility for the loss.
He also revealed to Benard that he’d “flatlined” three times before from alcohol poisoning and withdrawal. He hadn’t publicly shared the revelation before the podcast.
On Wednesday morning, Benard announced Christopher’s death on Instagram, calling him a “talented individual,” as well as “a sweet soul” and “a wonderful friend.” He expressed his devastation at losing his friend and asked people to pray for his children and father as they cope with the loss.
Frank Valentini, “General Hospital” executive producer, released a statement expressing his heartbreak over Tyler Christopher’s death. He remembered him as a kind man and dear friend who was also “an incredible actor” and a “beloved” cast family member.
Christopher leaves behind two ex-wives, Eva Longoria and Brienne Pedigo, and two children with Pedigo: his son, 14-year-old Greyson, and 8-year-old daughter, Boheme. His father, Jim Baker, and sister, Susan Asmo Baker, also survive him.
~Here’s to Our Liberty!
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