Tyler Christopher was a beloved soap actor who battled his share of demons.
He played the eldest son of Laura (Genie Francis), Nikolas Cassadine, for over 1,000 episodes on the ABC soap General Hospital.
After leaving GH, he appeared on Days of our Lives as Stefan DiMera, but that didn’t last long before he was replaced with former GH co-star Brandon Barash.
Alcohol was an issue Tyler battled for years. He had been open about his struggles and what they cost him while talking to his former GH co-star, Maurice Benard, on his podcast, State of Mind.
Despite his attempts to get clean, he didn’t keep his sobriety long. His drinking led to troubles with the law and, unfortunately, contributed to his passing.
Tyler was just 50 at the time of his death.
Tyler Christopher’s cause of death
The circumstances surrounding Tyler Christopher’s death were never suspicious, but his cause of death was unclear when his passing was announced on Halloween 2023.
According to TMZ, the General Hospital star died due to positional asphyxia due to acute alcohol intoxication with a contributing factor of coronary artery atherosclerosis.
It appears that Tyler was intoxicated when he died and suffocated when he fell asleep or passed out. He was reportedly found in his bedroom by a good friend.
This is unsurprising given the battle Tyler dealt with when it came to alcohol, but profoundly saddening for those who knew and loved him.
Maurice Benard was the one who publicly broke the news about Tyler’s passing, as he received a call from his friend letting him know the shocking news.
Tyler Christopher was beloved
Tributes poured in when the news of Tyler Christopher’s passing spread.
From his Days of our Lives co-stars to his General Hospital family and fans – he touched many lives.
Tyler left behind two children: a son and a daughter. While on the podcast with Maurice Benard, he talked about working on himself and bettering his relationship with his kids.
Maurice was a genuine friend to Tyler, attempting to help him by having him on the podcast and building a relationship that didn’t revolve around being on General Hospital.
Alcohol took a lot from Tyler over the years, including his ability to watch his children grow up and have a relationship with them.
Tyler Christopher’s cause of death has been revealed, confirming what had been speculated.
General Hospital airs weekdays on ABC.