The Tragic Death Of General Hospital Actor Sonya Eddy
For the better part of 30 years, Sonya Eddy has been a mainstay actor in television and film. Sopa opera fans may best know her as nurse Ephiphany Johnson on "General Hospital." Eddy played the role of Ephiphany for nearly 550 episodes on one of television's longest-running shows. Her longtime role as a nurse also impacted her personal life, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when she led a GoFundMe fundraiser for nursing scholarships.
"Every day, I play a nurse on TV," Eddy wrote on Twitter. "Over the years, I've heard from thousands of real nurses about how hard their job is. Now with COVID, #WeNeedMoreNurses and we need them now." The campaign has raised over $64,000 so far with donations reinvigorated by the tragic news of Eddy's death at 55 on December 19, 2022.
Fellow performers took to social media to react to Eddy's passing with messages of what an incredible person she was. Actor John Lindstrom wrote on Twitter: "Her smile could power a reactor. I loved the few times we worked together, but I REALLY loved the times we would talk about life, meditation, acting. She was a gift & she is missed already. Condolences to her loved ones."
Eddy was a 'creative angel'
Reflecting on the death of her friend, fellow actor Octavia Spencer took to Instagram with a loving tribute. "My friend @sonyaeddy passed away last night," Spencer wrote. "The world lost another creative angel. Her legions of @generalhospitalabc fans will miss her. My thoughts and prayers are with her loved ones, friends, and fans!"
Other artists continue to post their tributes to Eddy's legacy on social media. Yvette Nicole Brown wrote on Twitter that the announcements made the loss feel more real. "@TheRealSonyaEd was my friend & I am heart-broken by this news." Brown wrote. "Nothing lately feels real. Nothing. What is going on?!"
No cause of death has been identified, though Eddy's last episode on "General Hospital" was in November 2020, noted People. In a statement to Page Six from ABC, "General Hospital" executive producer Frank Valentini confirmed Eddy's death, her place in fans' hearts as a favorite from the start, and noted that she would be deeply missed by everyone at the iconic soap opera.