Maurice Benard on 60th anniversary of General Hospital
Maurice Benard has played Sonny Corinthos for the last 30 years.
"General Hospital" star Tyler Christopher died of positional asphyxia, or suffocation, due to "acute alcohol intoxication," according to the San Diego Medical Examiner. His death was ruled an accident.
Other conditions that contributed to his death included "coronary artery atherosclerosis," the report read.
Coronary artery disease is caused by plaque buildup in the wall of the arteries that supply blood to the heart, called coronary arteries, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
‘GENERAL HOSPITAL’ STAR TYLER CHRISTOPHER DEAD AT 50: ‘A TRULY TALENTED INDIVIDUAL’
"General Hospital" star Tyler Christopher died on Oct. 31. He was 50. (Photo by Maarten de Boer/NBCUniversal)
Christopher died Oct. 31 after he was found "unresponsive in his bedroom" by a friend who called 911, the medical examiner's report stated. He was 50.
His rep confirmed the actor's passing in a statement to Fox News Digital at the time.
"I can confirm that Tyler Christopher has passed away this morning," Chi Lo said. "This news was incredibly shocking, and I am devastated by his loss. He was a very gifted actor, and more importantly, an amazing friend. My heart goes out to his friends and family who loved him so much."
The official "General Hospital" Instagram account also uploaded a statement from producer Frank Valentini, who honored the late soap opera star.
‘FRIENDS’ STAR MATTHEW PERRY DEAD AT 54
Soap opera actor Tyler Christopher's cause of death has been confirmed as suffocation via "acute alcohol intoxication." (Photo by: Chris Haston)
"I am heartbroken over the news of Tyler Christopher’s passing. He was kind, an incredible actor and a 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," the statement, signed by Valentini, read.
An image of Christopher accompanied by the message.
Christopher's "General Hospital" co-star Maurice Benard also took to Instagram to remember Christopher.
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Tyler Christopher took on the role of Nikolas Cassadine in "General Hospital" from 1996 to 2016. (Photo by Alberto E. Rodriguez)
"It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Tyler Christopher. Tyler passed away this morning following a cardiac event in his San Diego apartment," Benard's caption began. "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."
Benard continued, "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."
Rebecca Herbst and Tyler Christopher in a scene that aired the week of July 26, 2010 on "General Hospital." (Ron Tom/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
"We are beyond devastated by the loss of our dear friend and pray for his children and his father," he concluded.
Maurice's wife, Paula Smith, told Fox News Digital, "Maurice and I are devastated. And believed in him always."
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Christopher took on the role of Nikolas Cassadine in "General Hospital" from 1996 to 2016. He also played Stefan DiMera on "Days of Our Lives" from 2018 to 2019.
Fox News Digital's Janelle Ash contributed to this report.
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