What Happened to ‘General Hospital’ Star Sonya Eddy? Inside Her Legacy After Death at 55

TV icon Sonya Eddy starred as Epiphany Johnson on General Hospital for 16 unforgettable years. She earned more than 100 acting credits with appearances in Those Who Can’t, Fresh Off the Boat and more before her death in December 2022. Scroll below for details on her life and legacy after her passing. 

What Happened to Sonya Eddy?

Eddy made her television acting debut with a cameo in Martin in 1996. In the years that followed, she appeared in High School High, Married… With Children, Murphy Brown, Gilmore Girls and more. In 2006, the California native landed a recurring role on General Hospital that later turned into a main role. 

She appeared in more than 500 episodes of the show, earning the love of viewers who followed her journey from the very start. On December 20, 2022, actress Octavia Spencer took to Instagram to share that Eddy died at age 55. 

“​​My friend @sonyaeddy passed away last night,” the Hidden Figures actress penned. “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.” 

ABC later confirmed the news in a statement to Page Six. “The lights in the hub of the nurses’ station will now be a little dimmer, but her spirit and light will live on in both the show and our set,” the statement read. 

What Was Sonya Eddy’s Cause of Death?

In the days after her death, Eddy’s friend and collaborator Tyler Ford revealed to TMZ that the Legit star had undergone surgery on December 9, 2022, and was released from the hospital two days later. She soon returned to the hospital after feeling ill. Doctors discovered Eddy had an uncontainable infection and placed her on life support before her death. 

Eddy was not married and did not have any children, according to multiple reports. At the time of her death, the Burning Hollywood star had an estimated $5 million net worth. Just one month before her death, Eddy shared she was looking forward to exciting upcoming projects. 

“I am so grateful to be back filming on GH after the COVID-19 shutdown and l look forward to whatever is next for Epiphany,” she shared during a November 2022 interview with Stone Cold and the Jackal. “I am also always working on my other two businesses, Eddy Ford, which is a line of fabulous jewelry, perfumes, scents and skincare, and Eddy Ford Entertainment, a production company for television shows and movies.”

How Did ‘General Hospital’ Pay Tribute to Sonya Eddy?

On January 11, 2023, it was announced at the Television Critics Association press tour that General Hospital planned to honor Eddy in a special tribute episode. The episode dedicated to the late star set a March 2023 air date, a month before the show’s official 60-year anniversary.