Heavy Hallmark stars mourn the death of soap actor Tyler Christopher.
A number of entertainers who have done Hallmark projects are speaking out after learning of a colleague’s death. Former “General Hospital” and “Days of Our Lives” star Tyler Christopher was found dead on Tuesday, October 31, according to the actor’s friend and former colleague Maurice Benard, via Instagram.
According to TMZ, a friend discovered Christopher unresponsive in his San Diego apartment. The friend had a key to Christopher’s place and went to check on the actor when Christopher had been unreachable, TMZ reported.
Authorities were called to the apartment and arrived at about 9:30 a.m. The outlet reported Christopher was in the bedroom of his apartment. The former soap opera star was 50 years old.
Maurice Benard Called Tyler Christopher a ‘Sweet Soul’
Benard, who had appeared on Hallmark’s “Home & Family” in March 2020, shared a couple of photos of Christopher in an Instagram post and included a touching tribute.
“It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Tyler Christopher,” the post caption began. “Tyler passed away this morning following a cardiac event in his San Diego apartment.”
The announcement continued, “Tyler was a truly talented individual that lit up the screen in every scene he performed and relished bringing joy to his loyal fans through his acting.” The caption referred to Christopher as “a sweet soul and wonderful friend to all of those who knew him.
“Tyler was an advocate for better mental health and substance use treatment who openly spoke about his struggles with bipolar depression and alcohol,” Bernard shared. “We are beyond devastated by the loss of our dear friend and pray for his children and his father.”
After learning of Christopher’s death, Hallmark and “General Hospital” star Cameron Mathison took to his Instagram Stories to acknowledge the news too. He posted a photo of the actor and added a string of broken heart emoji over it.
Christopher Had ‘Massive Amounts of Integrity’ Said Ingo Rademacher
Former “General Hospital” star Ingo Rademacher, who starred in the Hallmark Movie Now offering “A Royal Christmas Ball,” shared a tribute to Christopher in an Instagram post.
Rademacher noted he had known Christopher since he joined “General Hospital” in 1996. “He was just a beacon of light when he came on the show.”
Rademacher continued, “Tyler and I, we were not close, we weren’t best friends, and we certainly had our conversations… One of the things I learned from those conversations about him is that he had massive amounts of integrity and that he was an honest person.”
Christopher’s former fiancée, Vanessa Marcil, shared an array of old photos of the couple in her Instagram Stories. Marcil has starred in several Hallmark projects, including “Stranded in Paradise” and “The Convenient Groom.”
Marcil and Christopher were engaged for a brief period of time in the late 1990s, noted the New York Post. She shared about a dozen photos that included Christopher in her Instagram Stories, and she urged people who needed help to reach out to others.
Some of the photos Marcil shared were candids from the couple’s time together, and others were shots from old magazines or events they attended together.
Former Co-Star Steve Burton Considered Christopher a Brother
A number of other soap opera stars took to Instagram or X, formerly Twitter, to pay tribute to Christopher.
Former “General Hospital” actor Steve Burton posted a handful of photos showing him with Christopher over the years. In the caption of his Instagram post, he wrote, “This hits hard. Really hard. Sometimes I use the word ‘brother’ loosely. But when I called Tyler my brother, I meant it.”
Burton continued, “There’s a group of us…that have done and still would do anything for each other. That’s a brother. We lost one. A beautiful and talented soul at that.”
Nicolas Bechtel played Christopher’s son on “General Hospital” for a number of years. Bechtel tweeted, “Our chemistry was unmatched. Working with you for so many years was a pleasure and a blessing.”
Bechtel’s post continued, “Some may argue we were the greatest Father/Son duo on Daytime, and I agree. My heart is with Greysun, Bo, and all the people who love you.” People noted Christopher had two children, a son named Greysun, and a daughter named Boheme.