The cause of death of Tyler Christopher, the actor best known for his role in General Hospital, has been confirmed.
Last November, it was announced that Christopher had died aged just 50 years old.
The General Hospital star played Nikolas Cassadine on the long-running medical drama from 1996 to 2016, winning an Emmy in the process.
He also had many other TV credits, including The Twilight Zone, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Days of Our Lives.
And now, Christopher’s cause of death has been announced.
His General Hospital co-star, Maurice Bernard, confirmed the news of his passing, sharing that Christopher died in his San Diego apartment.
He wrote: “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.
“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. 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. We are beyond devastated by the loss of our dear friend and pray for his children and his father.”
Christopher’s representative, Chi Muoi Lo, confirmed the news to CNN, saying: “This news was incredibly shocking, and I am devastated by his loss. He was a very gifted actor, and more importantly, an amazing friend,” the rep said.
“My heart goes out to his friends and family who loved him so much.”
Fans were quick to offer tributes to Christopher, with one person writing: “He was such a beautiful person and an amazing actor. I am in total shock. May God bless his soul.”
Another adds: “I am so sorry. He was a wonderful actor. This is so sad.”
Speaking in a 2017 interview with Soap Opera Digest, Christopher had previously opened up about the personal struggles that marred his career.
He told the outlet: “I left literally a week after the Emmys in the middle of negotiations, to take a personal leave.
“And when I came back, the [contract] offer just didn’t make sense, financially, for me. They said, ‘Sorry, that’s all we can do’. and I said, ‘I understand’. And that was it.”
And today, TMZ has revealed Christopher’s cause of death.
“According to the Medical Examiner Office’s report, obtained by TMZ, the official cause of death is being listed as positional asphyxia due to acute alcohol intoxication. There’s a contributing condition cited… coronary artery atherosclerosis.”
As per the NHS, coronary artery atherosclerosis is ‘where your arteries become narrowed, making it difficult for blood to flow through them. It increases your risk of heart attack and stroke’.
Christopher’s death has been ruled as accidental.
Rest in peace.
