“General Hospital” series experienced a great loss early this year, that has not only put viewers, but the cast members of the show in disarray. 

American actor named John Reilly, who played the role of Sean Donelly in the series, was recently confirmed dead by his daughter, Caitlin on Instagram. 

The actor, who was 86-year-old at the time, was a force to be reckoned with in the American film and television industry.

Following his painful demise, the can’t of “General Hospital, ” will dedicate a special episode to their friend and colleague. Keep reading below for more information. 

Reilly was a part of “GH” for 11 years, and in every episode, he showed off his outstanding acting skills that made fans fall easily in love with him. 

The executive producer of the show, Frank Valentini noted in a statement that “there was no question as to if the show would honor the long-time actor.” They simply wanted it to happen in a special way. 

According to reports, Reilly’s death was caused by a heart attack on January 9, 2021. He also left behind a wife, five beautiful daughters and two grandchildren.

Per “Soap Opera Digest,” the show’s cast not only wanted to do something admirable in honor of Reilly, they also wanted to include someone special. 

After a long deliberation, Valentini told the news outlet that they  finally came up with the idea for a special episode. 

Also, they reached out to one of Reilly’s children, Caitlin, who followed in her father’s footsteps as an actress. For the special episode, she take over as the on-screen daughter of Reilly and Tiffany. 

When fans heard about this awesome plan, they were excited and thanked the show for such an outstanding tribute. 

The co-head writer of the show, Chris Van Etten revealed that when Caitlin was approached with the idea to cast her on the show for a special episode, she was thankful and eager.

Etten explained that all they were looking forward to, was to show fans that although Reilly is gone, his work and character still lives on in his daughter. 

“It’s definitely the beginning of something for her, which is really cool,” Etten said.

Furthermore, he revealed that Caitlin has been familiarizing herself with the initial cast, Finola, to understand everything there is to know about the role. 

“GH” is a popular American daytime soap opera that began operations on April 1, 1963. It has a Guinness World Record for the longest-running soap opera in history.

The show, which was initially set in a hospital, centers on the everyday life of the Quartermaine and Spencer families. Over the years, the show has had increased number of views and ratings online. 

It has also starred several amazing guest stars including, James Franco, Elizabeth Taylor, Roseanne Bare, and many more. 

To know more about the show and its accolades, click here.