Mishael Morgan and Christel Khalil’s Journey from Hatred to Besties
The Untold Real Life Tragedies of Young and the Restless Stars
Life isn’t as happy as it seems in the movies for these Y&R stars. Sometimes life throws some curveballs in their way that has led to some devastating times. Today we look at some of The Young and the Restless stars, who have faced some pretty unfortunate tragedies in their real life. Brace yourself as we get into some heartbreaking tragedies that they had to go through.
Number 1. Kristoff St. John’s Son Death and Alcohol Abuse
Famously recognized as Neil Winters in The Young and the Restless, Kristoff St. John is a winner of two Daytime Emmy Awards and has over eleven nominations. Sadly, the fan favorite actor’s life came to an end at the age of 52, after his sudden death from a heart disease and one of the major contributing factors for it was his high alcohol consumption.
There was a big reason behind his high alcohol abuse as well. Kristoff had to go through some pretty devastating loss that no father or a parent could have ever imagined. According to his ex wife, Mia St. John, after their son, Julian’s death in 2014, he always felt responsible for his son’s mental health struggles and tragic suicide. Mia opened up about their son’s battle with schizophrenia and how it led to drug addiction.
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Julian also received treatment at a psychiatric hospital in California but it didn’t help and sadly he passed away at just the age of 24 and because of that incident, Kristoff carried a great deal of guilt over his son’s death for many years. The former boxing champion, Mia also opened up about how blamed himself, especially since “he was the man of the family.”
As he couldn’t handle the pain of not being able to save his son, Kristoff drowned within himself and started drinking a lot and was found dead in his home on Feb 3rd, 2019. Especially in the last year of his life, it was the most difficult time for his family especially Mia and now she not only lost her son but her best friend as well.
Number 2. Eric Braeden Childhood in Post War Germany
The Iconic actor who has been playing the role of Victor Newman on Y&R since 1980 has captured the hearts of many fans for decades. Eric is always known to be an inspiring as well motivational person.
Behind his positive persona, is a series of personal struggles and tragedies that he suffered when he was a young boy living in worn torn Germany during the Second World War. Eric was born as Hans Gudagest in 1941. He entered the world during intense bombings by the Soviet Army and grew up in a town where bombs and bullets were a constant threat.
Despite being born into a privileged family, the dangers of war affected Braeden’s early years profoundly. The hospital where he was born was bombed soon after his mother’s discharge, leaving him and you can only imagine what kind of effect it had left in a child’s mind. He recalls vivid memories of bomb attacks and seeking shelter during air raids.
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The end of World War II brought temporary peace, but Braeden’s father was arrested by a British officer as he belonged to a Nazi Party. The young Braeden was unaware of his father’s affiliation, and it took a year for his father to return home. Tragically, Braeden’s father passed away from a heart attack, adding to the challenges the young boy faced.
Braeden blamed the war, the humiliation of being arrested, and his father’s loss of business as being the triggers for the cardiac arrest that killed him. The loss of his father and the chaos in his life fueled his defiance, anger, and resentment towards authority figures, which shaped his attitude towards Hollywood’s power dynamics.
In 1959, he immigrated to America and he again faced a lot of challenges since the American had a different look towards the Germans. He was even made to change his real name to be able to work in Hollywood and now with all his hard work and patience and struggles, he has become the successful man he is today.
Find out how well you know Eric Braeden in our quiz.
Number 3. Mishael Morgan Family Tragedy
Mishael Morgan has been gracing our screens with her smile since 2013. She even went on to write her name in history by becoming the first black actress to win a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Lead Performance at the 49th annual ceremony. But it wasn’t all smiles and laughter for her and her family since they had just gone through a devastating and unimaginable tragedy.
In late March 2022, Mishael shared a heart wrenching post on her social media revealing that her husband Naveed Ali’s brother, Nazir, along with his wife Raven Odiya and their three children, Alia, Jaden, and Laila, had tragically lost their lives in a terrible house fire in Brampton, Ontario.
Expressing her grief, Michelle shared cherished family photos and requested her followers to “Please hold your loved ones tight. Appreciate every moment and remember another day is never guaranteed. Rest In Paradise Nazir, Raven, Alia, Jayden & Layla. Spread your wings beautiful angels.”
Further investigation into the fire revealed that the tragic incident was, in part, due to the absence of functioning fire alarms in the house. Despite the family having recently completed a house renovation, the lack of smoke detectors contributed to the uncontrollable nature of the fire.
Number 4. Max Page Health Issues
The little guy who played ex-Reed Hellstrom on Y&R from 2009 to 2015 went through some real health scare. Max was born with a congenital heart defect called Tetralogy of Fallot and has undergone numerous heart surgeries since he was just three months old. He underwent surgery to replace his pacemaker in 2020 and it was a successful one.
His mom, Jennifer Page has been keeping us updated on his health regularly. On her Instagram, she wrote, “Max had a successful surgery today and once again he is fully charged – grateful for a new pacemaker! Great news is he’s sleeping soundly in his own bed!”
But in 2021, he again had some complications and was back in hospital again. He experienced sporadic fevers and underwent another surgery to replace his leads and pacemaker. It was said to be a tricky surgery due to scar tissue build up and everyone had a difficult time.
But despite facing his own health challenges, Max has become an advocate for children’s health issues and has even spoken before Congress, urging senators to consider the impact on children’s healthcare.
Number 5. Melody Thomas Scott Had a Traumatic Childhood
Melody Thomas Scott plays the iconic Nikki Reed in The Young and the Restless and not only is she a strong woman on screen but also in real life. In her memoir, “Always Young and Restless” she not only talked about playing Nikki on Y&R, but also the abuse she faced during her childhood.
In the book, she shared the mental abuse she faced by her late grandmother and the sexual assault she suffered at the hands of multiple men. When she was a child, she got into a prestigious Hollywood Children’s Theatre which had been founded and run by an elderly man by the name of Cosmo Morgan.
And that man used to molest her and make her sit on his lap while her grandmother would just sit and watch it all happen. “I remember when I first started to happen I was four, and I hardly knew that this was wrong and she was sitting probably five feet away and I looked at her, my eyes, I’m sure were wild with the questions, ‘Do you see this? Are you going to stop this?’ And she never did,” she said. And it continued to happen for years.
Although Scott’s grandmother is already dead, she still hasn’t forgiven her for all the things she did and ignored. She only felt at peace and found happiness at the age of 20 when she escaped her grandmother’s home and started living alone.
Number 6. Sharon Case Issues with Infertility and Divorce
We all love Sharon for different reasons but one thing that we all agree on is her portrayal of a loving mom to her children on Y&R but sadly in real life, she has gone through a lot of hardships. She has always wanted to become a mother and children.
Not because she is getting older but because she wanted to have kids with the man she loved, her husband at the time, Sandy Corzine, and start a family. But her plans had to hit pause when she found out she was suffering from infertility and she couldn’t conceive. The more time passed the more she wanted to become a mom. Along with it, her marriage was also failing. She thought a kid would have fixed it but later on she realized that it wasn’t true.
The delay in starting a family became increasingly disappointing as time passed and her longing to become a mother grew stronger. And in 2009, she and her husband got divorced. The end of her marriage had a pretty bad impact on Sharon, as it not only meant losing her partner but also dashed her hopes of having a child with him. Although she still has no children, her character is a loving mother of four.
Number 7. Tracey E. Bregman Almost Lost her Pets in LA Fire
We all know that Tracey E Bregman feels so strongly about all animals and works with several animal charities. When it comes to her own pets, they’re part of her family.
In 2018, Tracey’s newly built home in Malibu was destroyed by the devastating Woolsey Fire, which caused extensive damage across Los Angeles and Ventura, burning nearly 100,000 acres of land. Tracy shared a final photo of her house engulfed in flames, expressing gratitude that everyone was safe. She was left feeling numb and at a loss for words due to the catastrophic nature of the wildfires.
A week prior to the fires, Tracey had a bad feeling and had her trainer move her five horses out of her home. And the night before the fires, when Tracey was staying at her son’s apartment, she had a feeling that her dogs were in danger, so she went to get them. Although she lost just about everything in the tragedy, thankfully her children, and all her animals were saved.
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Tracey has been a part of The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful for over 40 years, playing both Lauren and her doppelganger Sarah Smythe. Over her 40 years she has won 5 Daytime Emmy awards but one of them she lost it in a devastating fire with her whole house.
Bregman was also able to get a few personal effects out of her home, including some family photos. Everything else, however, is gone. Thankfully no one was hurt but her Emmy Award that she won in 1985 went with it and in January 2023, she was surprised with a replica by her co-star, Christian LeBlanc, while visiting CBS’ The Talk.
Number 8. Thom Bierdz Family Tragedy
Families can be rough but Phillip Chancellor III portrayer Thom Bierdz’s was on a whole another level. On the morning of July 15, 1989, while waiting for callbacks on a movie audition, Bierdz got a hysterical phone call from his older sister in Kenosha.
Their 19-year-old brother, Troy, had killed their mother, brutally beating her to death with a baseball bat. The shocking events and media attention brought Thom Bierdz back to a past he had attempted to move on from. His life underwent a sudden and dramatic change.
Acting, once meaningful to him, lost its significance as he withdrew from the glitz and glamor of showbiz, finding himself stuck in unfulfilling jobs and a state of disorder. He became consumed by thoughts of his brother’s heinous crime, which led him to question his own mental stability.
Bierdz reached a rock-bottom point in his life. He struggled to forgive his brother and faced difficulty accepting himself. Although he couldn’t see it at the time, he needed to confront the family and personal issues he had tried to leave behind. It was necessary for him to embrace the true aspects of his life before he could regain his star status.
In 2018, Bierdz appeared in and narrated an episode of Evil Lives Here on the Investigation Discovery Network, based on his memoir Forgiving Troy. In the show, he recounts his brother Troy’s life and his strange behavior leading to his mother’s murder. No one can imagine the pain he must have felt all those years.
Number 9. Christian LeBlanc Lost His Mother and Brother
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Christian LeBlanc has faced numerous personal tragedies in his life, including the death of his mother from cancer in 2003, the loss of his 25-year-old brother to AIDS, and experiencing homophobia and intolerance as a gay man. These incidents have had a significant impact on his mental health.
For years, the actor kept his personal life and sexual identity private due to societal pressures. He revealed that, despite progress in society, he still feels unable to publicly show affection towards his husband of 28 years. Holding hands in public is something he avoids, explaining that he and his husband are not big on public displays of affection, and he himself is not naturally inclined to hold hands.
Another personal tragedy that deeply impacted LeBlanc was the death of his brother. He shared that his brother passed away due to complications related to AIDS, highlighting the stigma and lack of support that his brother and many others faced. LeBlanc emphasized that his brother was treated differently, as if his illness was a result of a moral failing. He strongly asserted that his brother’s death was ultimately caused by the government’s negligence and lack of action.
Number 10. Melissa Claire Egan’s Miscarriages
While Melissa Claire Egan is widely recognized for her portrayal of Chelsea onThe Young and the Restless, her impact goes beyond her acting career. She serves as an inspiration and source of support for women who are suffering from fertility issues.
Before her first baby, Melissa Claire Egan and her husband have been trying to have a baby for years. They went through multiple rounds of IVF, but unfortunately, they faced two miscarriages and several unsuccessful attempts. In a podcast interview with Maurice Bernard, Melissa shared that she has PCOS and endometriosis, which added to the difficulties.
Despite the challenges, Melissa found strength in her faith, the support of her husband, and encouragement from doctors. She’s incredibly brave for openly discussing the ups and downs of the IVF process. Through her platform, she’s raising awareness about miscarriage and infertility, using her own experiences to inspire others going through similar struggles. And now after 2 miscarriages, she is already a mom of two healthy baby boys.
We can’t imagine how they all must have felt and we have to give it to them for being so strong and being able to move past it. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
