'General Hospital' Actor Tyler Christopher's Cause of Death Confirmed
Actor Tyler Christopher attends "General Hospital celebrating 50 years and looking forward" at The Paley Center for Media on April 12, 2013, in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Actor Tyler Christopher, best known for his roles in General Hospital and Days of Our Lives, died at age 50 on Oct. 31. Nearly three months later, his cause of death has been confirmed.
On Friday, Jan. 26, TMZ reported that Christopher's cause of death was positional asphyxia as a result of acute alcohol intoxication, according to a Medical Examiner's Office report. In other words, he suffocated because of the position he was in while intoxicated. Coronary artery atherosclerosis was listed as a contribution factor. The medical examiner ruled Christopher's death accidental.
In October, Christopher's General Hospital co-star, Maurice Benard, announced the actor's death following a "cardiac event" via Instagram.
"It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Tyler Christopher," Benard wrote. "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."
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Benard noted that Christopher advocated for "better mental health and substance use treatment" and "openly spoke about his struggles with bipolar depression and alcohol."
He continued: "We are beyond devastated by the loss of our dear friend and pray for his children and his father."
General Hospital Executive Producer Frank Valentini also publicly addressed Christopher's death in October.
“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," Valentini told People. "On behalf of everyone at General Hospital, our heartfelt sympathies go out to his loved ones during this difficult time.”