General Hospital star Billy Miller’s mother says he died by suicide at the age of 43.
The soap opera actor and three-time Daytime Emmy winner, who also starred on The Young and the Restless, died Friday in Austin, Texas, as reported by a soap reporter. Michael Fairman.
Patricia Miller released a statement to Summary of the series Monday to dispel rumors circulating about his son’s death.
“He fought a long and valiant battle with bipolar depression for years,” Patricia said of her late son. “He did everything he could to control the disease. He loved his family, friends and fans, but in the end, illness won the fight and he gave his life back.
She added that “the other causes of death discussed are not true”, as her cause of death had been the subject of speculation on a number of fan blogs, adding: “I wish they were , but they just aren’t.”
Gone too soon: General Hospital star Billy Miller’s mother says he died aged 43 by suicide; he is photographed in 2019 in Los Angeles
Patricia said she was grateful for the kind response she received from fans following the tragic death of her son.
“I would like to personally thank the many fans and personal friends for the immense amount of love, prayers and condolences sent to me and my family on the devastating death of my beautiful son BJ – Billy Miller” , she said.
Patricia continued: “We all loved him so much and are desperately trying to cope with our loss. I won’t have anything more to say.
She concluded by saying: “Thank you for your love and support. »
The actor’s representatives previously claimed he was suffering from “manic depression” at the time of his death, according to TMZ.
The actor’s death occurred just two days before his 44th birthday. Miller is survived by his mother, Patricia, and sister, Megan.
DailyMail.com has contacted Miller’s representatives.
Struggling with depression: The cause of death has not yet been revealed, although the actor’s representatives claimed he was suffering from “manic depression” at the time of his death, according to TMZ; seen in a still at the general hospital
His death was confirmed by someone at the Belmont, a restaurant and bar in Los Angeles, California, which Miller co-owned, according to Fairman.
Miller, born in Oklahoma, worked in the mailroom at Industry Entertainment before being signed as a model for Wilhelmina.
He had earned a communications degree from the University of Texas before moving to Los Angeles.
He made his debut in the entertainment industry after landing a role on the popular soap opera All My Children, playing Richie Novak.
He then joined the cast of The Young and the Restless in 2008, playing the fourth iteration of Billy Abbott.
Miller left the series in 2014.
He received three Daytime Emmy Awards for this role: two for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and one for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series.
Miller joined the cast of General Hospital in 2014.
He played Jason Morgan and Drew Cain and was a series regular until 2019.
Sad: the actor’s death occurred just two days before his 44th birthday. Miller is survived by his mother, Patricia, and sister, Megan; seen in a still at the general hospital
Tribute: Octavia Spencer, who starred alongside Billy in the TV series Truth Be Told, paid tribute to the actor following news of his death.
Claim to fame: The soap opera actor and three-time Daytime Emmy winner starred in General Hospital and The Young and the Restless; he is seen in 2009
Success: He received three Daytime Emmys for his role as Billy Abbott in The Young and the Restless; Photographed at the 40th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in 2013
As He Was: Before his acting career, Oklahoma-born Miller worked in the mailroom at Industry Entertainment before being signed as a model for Wilhelmina; seen in 2009
Miller also had credits on Showtime’s Ray Donovan, Meghan Markle’s Suits and Apple TV+’s Truth Be Told.
Tributes from fans poured in on social media following the news of his death.
Actress Octavia Spencer, who starred alongside Billy in the TV series Truth Be Told, shared a tribute to the actor on Instagram.
‘I am speechless. I’m lying here scrolling through IG and came across a post that we lost Billy Miller. To his family, his legions of fans and our #TruthBeTold family, my deepest condolences,” she wrote alongside a photo of the actor.
“I’m so sad to hear of Billy Miller’s passing. I loved watching him on all my toddlers and in the restless and general hospital. May he rest in peace,” another person wrote on Twitter.
“A real loss to the genre, it’s so sad,” another fan added.
