What you need to know
Claudio Gama is remembering his late husband Anthony Geary, who passed away on December 14th.
Geary, best known for his role as Luke Spencer on “General Hospital,” passed away at the age of 78 due to complications from surgery on December 11, TV Insider reported.
Gama released a statement to the media on December 15, saying: “This was a shock to me, our family and friends. For over 30 years, Tony has been my friend, companion and husband.”
On Monday, Dec. 22, Gama wrote a heartfelt message on Instagram, sharing how her family said “a final goodbye to Tony” in Amsterdam.
“He is now resting where the stars shine bright. He will always be missed. His love, his life, and his art speak for themselves,” he wrote. Gama added that she, her cat Max, and their family would like to “thank all of Tony’s friends and colleagues for the incredible support and respect they have shown Tony.”
Claudio Gama/Instagram
Gama also thanked all of Geary’s fans for their “great support and condolences.”
“He always told me that as an actor and as an artist, it was all about the fans,” Gama wrote. “Without your love and support, he would not have been able to reach these heights in his career.”
Gama noted how acting was a “passion” for Geary, adding that his other passions included “dancing, singing, drinking coke, payday candy bars, and cats.”
“He loved his country and his second home, Amsterdam. Thank you all,” Gama wrote. “Rest in peace our Tony.”
The Instagram tribute included a photo of Geary smiling in Amsterdam and two photos of Geary on the kitchen table and Max sitting nearby.
Geary and Gama met in February 1995 and were married 24 years later, Gama shared on Instagram.
Geary, who won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Leading Actor eight times, retired from General Hospital in 2015. After retiring, the couple moved to Amsterdam. The two lived part-time at the soap opera during Geary’s later years.
“I’m excited to kick off the third act. I’m looking forward to reinventing myself in my new home and pursuing whatever opportunities come my way,” he told Entertainment Weekly in 2015. “That’s an exciting prospect for me.”
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Claudio Gama/Instagram
Following the news of his death, General Hospital executive producer Frank Valentini released a statement to PEOPLE. “The entire General Hospital family is heartbroken” after hearing the news, Valentini said.
“Tony is a great actor and has set a standard that we continue to strive for,” Valentini said. “His legacy, and that of Luke Spencer, will live on through the generations of GH cast members who have followed in his footsteps. We send our deepest sympathies to his husband, Claudio, his family and friends. We may rest in peace.”
In a separate statement, ABC Entertainment noted that Geary’s performance as Luke Spencer “helped define General Hospital and daytime television.”
