It’s been just a few weeks since the death of Tyler Christopher on Halloween shocked the soap world.
He was a fan favorite among General Hospital viewers, and for some, he was the “only” Nikolas Cassadine they would ever believe.
Tyler’s battle with alcohol and mental health was discussed in recent years, including an appearance on Maurice Benard’s State of Mind podcast.
There have been questions about who found Tyler in his apartment, as Maurice was the one who made a post to let followers and fans know what happened to the former soap star.
His passing was a shock to viewers and his friends, who had been working hard with him to get his life back on track.
As Tyler’s first heavenly birthday has arrived, more information about his life in California and his battles have been revealed.
Tyler Christopher’s friend speaks out about him on his birthday
On Tyler Christopher’s Instagram page, his best friend, April, shared a carousel of photos and a lengthy caption about who he was to her and what their friendship meant.
Fans and followers only knew what Tyler allowed people to see. They caught glimpses of him in his on-screen roles and read about him when his arrests made the news.
April wrote, in part, “I have been thinking about what to write since Tyler passed on October 31, 2023. As his designated ‘Legacy’ with FB/ Insta I wanted the last post to be about the Tyler I knew. His birthday seems the perfect time to do that. I have never posted a picture of us together until today. That was intentional. Our friendship existed within a safe bubble of sobriety and mental health support without the distraction of social media.”
She went on to talk about the special moments they shared and what Tyler loved. There was acknowledgment of his estranged family and friends, but his father was still a part of his life and in contact with her, too.
Tyler relapsed, and she was by his side. About that, April shared, “There were relapses & when that happened I would stay by his side and repeat to him ‘You are worthy of love, being healthy, your career and you are worthy of every second I spend supporting your sobriety.’ He called it my alcoholic exorcism.”
Tyler Christopher was mourned by his soap family
After the announcement of his passing spread, Tyler Christopher’s colleagues paid tribute to the soap actor.
His Days of our Lives costars spoke out about the loss, including Brandon Barash, who took over the role of Stefan DiMera after Tyler was let go from the soap. The two starred together on General Hospital, too.
Several of his General Hospital costars also shared their own tributes for Tyler. His on-screen brother Johnathan Jackson (who played Lucky Spencer) shared a special tribute for him.
Steve Burton (who played Jason Morgan) also shared a tribute to his friend and colleague.
The loss of Tyler was felt by everyone who knew and loved him and by those who only knew him through a small screen as they watched their daily “stories.”
General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC.