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Tyler Christopher‘s cause of death has officially been determined. The General Hospital star passed from positional asphyxia due to acute alcohol intoxication, meaning he suffocated from the position he was in while intoxicated, according to the Medical Examiner Office’s report via TMZ. Coronary artery atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of plaque inside of the arteries, was also listed as a contributing factor, and his death was ruled accidental.
Tyler’s cause of death comes almost three months after he was found unresponsive in his San Diego, CA apartment and died at the age of 50. His rep confirmed his death on October 31, 2023. “This news was incredibly shocking, and I am devastated by his loss,” the rep told Page Six at the time. “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.”
Tyler’s General Hospital co-star and friend Maurice Benard also posted about his death that same night. “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,” he said on Instagram. “Tyler was a sweet soul and wonderful friend to all of those who knew him.”
Tyler’s death happened after he made a big impact in the soap opera world. He played the role of Nikolas Cassidine on General Hospital from 1996 until 2016, and won a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2016. He went on to join Days of Our Lives as Stefan DiMera in 2017, and played the role until 2019.
In 2022, Tyler opened up about his struggles with alcohol and admitted he lost his job at General Hospital due to his alcohol abuse. “It was devastating for a myriad of reasons,” he said on his “State of Mind” mental health podcast. “One: The thing that I love the most was taken away. Two: I threw it away. Nobody took it away from me. I dropped it.”
Just months before his death, Tyler, who is survived by his two children, Greysun James Christopher and Boheme Christopher, was reportedly arrested for allegedly napping on the ground of a South Carolina airport while intoxicated.
