General Hospital Star Tyler Christopher’s Cause of Death Confirmed

Tyler Christopher’s cause of death has been confirmed following the actor’s sudden death in October 2023.

The General Hospital alum’s cause of death was listed as positional asphyxia due to acute alcohol intoxication, according to a report from the Medical Examiner’s Office obtained by TMZ. Coronary artery atherosclerosis, a condition where plaque can build up in the arteries, has also been listed as a contributing factor to his death.

The medical examiner stated that Christopher suffocated to death due to the position he was in while he was intoxicated. His death was ruled accidental.

News of the actor’s death was first revealed by his former costar Maurice Benard in an Instagram post. Alongside two photos of the late actor, Benard wrote a lengthy caption announcing the loss while also honoring his friend. He also stated that Christopher, who died on Oct. 31 at the age of 50, had experienced 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,” Benard’s message read, in part. “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.”

 

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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 before his death. He was arrested several times for public intoxication and was placed under the guardianship of his sister — an arrangement in which he claimed he was being “taken advantage of,” per Bloomberg.

Following Christopher’s death, his former costars and friends honored him while acknowledging his struggles with addiction, praising the actor for his strength throughout his journey.

Camila Banus, who previously worked with Christopher on NBC’s Days of Our Lives — which he joined in 2017 and departed in 2019 — called the actor “a true artist” in a statement shared with PEOPLE.

“He was truly a gifted and kind man,” Banus said. “He will be dearly missed. Rest in peace Tyler Christopher.”

Christopher’s General Hospital costar Steve Burton also spoke out about the loss, describing the actor as a “brother.”

“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,” Burton, 53, wrote on Instagram as he shared a collection of photos with Christopher from over the years. “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. 🙏🏻🕊️.”

 

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Additionally, in a statement shared with PEOPLE, General Hospital Executive Producer Frank Valentini said: “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.
The medical examiner did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s inquiry.