Tyler Christopher, renowned for his roles in acclaimed daytime soaps such as ‘General Hospital’ and ‘Days of Our Lives,’ passed away on October 31 at the age of 50 in his San Diego apartment.
His cause of death has been officially confirmed following the actor’s sudden demise in October 2023.
The cause of death for General Hospital alum Tyler Christopher was attributed to positional asphyxia resulting from acute alcohol intoxication, as indicated in a report from the Medical Examiner’s Office.
Additionally, coronary artery atherosclerosis, a condition involving arterial plaque buildup, was noted as a contributing factor to his passing. The medical examiner concluded that Christopher’s demise was accidental, specifying that he suffocated due to his intoxicated position.
The news of the actor’s death was initially disclosed by his former co-star Maurice Benard in an Instagram post. Accompanied by two photos of the late actor, Benard penned a detailed caption announcing the loss and paying tribute to his friend. Additionally, he revealed that Tyler Christopher, who passed away on October 31 at the age of 50, had suffered a cardiac arrest in his San Diego apartment.
“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,” part of Benard’s message read. “Tyler was 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.”
Benard’s post concluded: “We are beyond devastated by the loss of our dear friend and pray for his children and his father.”
Christopher struggled with alcohol use in the years leading up to his death. He faced multiple arrests for public intoxication and was placed under the guardianship of his sister, a situation he claimed amounted to being “taken advantage of,” as reported by Bloomberg.
Following Christopher’s death, his former co-stars and friends paid tribute to him, acknowledging his struggles with addiction and praising the actor for his strength throughout his journey. Camila Banus, who worked with Christopher on NBC’s Days of Our Lives from 2017 to 2019, referred to the actor as “a true artist” in a statement. “He was truly a gifted and kind man,” Banus said. “He will be dearly missed. Rest in peace Tyler Christopher.”
Christopher’s General Hospital co-star Steve Burton also expressed his feelings about the loss, describing the actor as a “brother.” Burton, 53, shared on Instagram, “This hits hard. Really hard. Sometimes I use the word ‘brother’ loosely. But when I called Tyler my brother, I meant it… there’s a group of us… that have done and still would do anything for each other.”
He posted a collection of photos with Christopher over the years and added, “We lost one. A beautiful and talented soul at that. It hurts. Thank you for the memories brother Ty. Love you. See you in Heaven.”
The General Hospital Executive Producer, Frank Valentini, expressed deep sorrow over the news of Tyler Christopher’s passing, stating, “I am heartbroken over the news of Tyler Christopher’s passing. He was kind, an incredible actor, and dear friend, who was beloved by our GH family and fans of Nikolas Cassadine.”
“On behalf of everyone at General Hospital, our heartfelt sympathies go out to his loved ones during this difficult time,” Valentini added. Christopher is survived by his two children, son Greysun, 14, and daughter Boheme, 8, with his ex-wife, former ESPN reporter Brienne Pedigo.
