‘General Hospital’ stars pay tribute to actor Sonya Eddy: ‘She was a gift’

ABC’s “General Hospital” is mourning one of its own as actor Sonya Eddy, who starred for 17 years on the long-running soap as nurse Epiphany Johnson, died Monday. She was 55.

Eddy’s producing partner and friend Tyler Ford confirmed to The Times on Wednesday that the actor died of an infection after a nonemergency surgery at Providence St. Joseph’s Hospital in Burbank. In an Instagram post shared Tuesday, Octavia Spencer announced her friend’s death.

“My friend @sonyaeddy passed away last night,” the Oscar-winning actor’s post said. “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!”

Shortly after Spencer’s tweet, tributes from Eddy’s “General Hospital” family began pouring in. “General Hospital” executive producer Frank Valentini mourned Eddy in a statement shared with The Times.

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“I truly loved her not only as an actress, but as a friend. 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,” he said. “On behalf of the entire GH cast and crew, we send our deepest sympathy to her family, friends, and fans. She will be very missed.”

The Concord, Calif., native joined the cast of “General Hospital” as Epiphany Johnson in 2006. Since then, she appeared in more than 500 episodes. On Twitter, her co-stars remembered Eddy for her cheery attitude.

“R.I.P. Sonya u will be so missed . What a sense of humor she had . So sad . @GeneralHospital will never be the same,” tweeted Kin Shriner.

Co-star Jon Lindstrom wrote Eddy’s “smile could power a reactor.”

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“I loved the few times we worked together, but I REALLY loved the times we would talk about life, meditation, acting,” he added. “She was a gift & she is missed already. Condolences to her loved ones.”

In a February interview with “This Podcast Is Making Me Thirsty,” Eddy — who initially wanted to be a lawyer — said simply that she was just “a chick that entertains.”

Acting “is really something that I feel like I was pushed into. ... This was a God thing. This was not a choice,” she said. “I didn’t want to be an actor. I tried not to be an actor. But something bigger had a better idea than I did.”

Eddy’s television credits also include “The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey,” “Those Who Can’t” and “Fresh Off the Boat.” She also appeared in “A Black Lady Sketch Show,” “Pen15,” “Seinfeld” and “ER.”