John Callahan’s Death Leaves ‘All My Children’ Co-Star and Ex-Wife Eva LaRue ‘Brokenhearted’

Eva LaRue, John Callahan‘s All My Children co-star and ex-wife, shared an emotional statement on Instagram Saturday afternoon following Callahan’s sudden death. Callahan suffered a massive stroke on Friday and died early Saturday morning at the age of 66. The actor and LaRue were married from 1996 to 2004, and are parents to daughter Kaya, 18.

“May Flights of Angels Wing You to Your Rest my Dear Friend,” LaRue, 53, wrote on Instagram, alongisde a collection of photos. “[You’re] bigger than life, gregarious personality will leave a hole in our hearts forever. We are devastated – My great friend, co parent partner, and loving father to Kaya. That big belly laugh, bear hugs, bad puns, ability to harmonize to any song, great kitchen table singing-fests, and two steppin bad ass! ‘Johnny Numbers,’ my All My Children soap stud, the great time keeper, Beatles fanatic ( I wish to God we could go back to ‘Yesterday’).”

“Kaya and I are beyond broken hearted, so stunned, sorry that my thoughts are a mess. You gave the best most beautifully written tributes, and I am at a complete loss for words right now for you,” LaRue continued. “I hope Heaven has baseball and that your team always wins! The Yankees has just lost their biggest Fan.”

Live With Kelly and Ryan host Kelly Ripa, who also starred on All My Children, responded to LaRue with a broken heart emoji.

Callahan’s representative told Soap Opera Network the actor suffered a massive stroke Friday at his home in Palm Desert, California. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where LaRue and Kaya were able to briefly see him while he was on life support. They were told of his death just after midnight.

“We are extremely saddened and distraught over the loss of John,” LaRue said in a statement. “He was my great friend, co-parent and an amazing father to Kaya. The absence of his bigger than life, gregarious personality will leave a hole in our hearts forever. Words cannot express the shock and devastation we are feeling at this time. The Yankees just lost one of their greatest fans.”

Callahan was best known for playing Edmund Grey on All My Children from 1992 to 2005, appearing in more than 350 episodes. LaRue played Dr. Maria Santos Grey from 1993 until 2011, when the show ended.

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