Cameron Boyce dead General Hospital Night Shift
Credit: Image: Jill Johnson/JPI

Soap opera stars express sadness over the death of young actor Cameron Boyce.

Actor Cameron Boyce, who played Michael ‘Stone’ Cates Jr. in General Hospital: Night Shift in 2008, has died at the age of just 20. Soaps.com learned of the death after Boyce’s family confirmed the news to ABC News on Saturday night. The young actor had passed away during the night in his sleep due to an ‘ongoing medical condition’ which was later revealed to be epilepsy. His family’s statement said: “It is with a profoundly heavy heart that we report that this morning we lost Cameron. He passed away in his sleep due to a seizure which was a result of an ongoing medical condition for which he was being treated. The world is now undoubtedly without one of its brightest lights, but his spirit will live on through the kindness and compassion of all who knew and loved him. We are utterly heartbroken and ask for privacy during this immensely difficult time as we grieve the loss of our precious son and brother.”

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Boyce was born on May 28, 1999 in Los Angeles, California, where he grew up with his parents, Victor and Libby Boyce and younger sister, Maya. He is of Afro-Caribbean, African-American and Jewish descent, and his grandmother, Jo Ann Boyce, was one of the Clinton Twelve, the first African Americans to attend an integrated school in 1956 in the U.S. south.

Though Boyce and four of his friends created the breakdancing crew, ‘X-Mob’, he became known for his acting, and more recently, his philanthropy. Boyce appeared in a Panic! at the Disco video before landing a role in the horror film, Mirrors, at the age of 9. The same year that movie was released, Boyce took on the role of a young Stone on General Hospital: Night Shift. Stone was the younger brother of Antonio Sabato Jr’s. character Jagger Cates. The actor went on to play Keithie in the Adam Sandler film, Grown Ups, before becoming well known as a star in Disney’s Descendants franchise and the Disney series, Jessie. In not-yet-released work, Boyce had filmed a pilot for the comedy series, Mrs. Fletcher, as well as the upcoming films Runt and Descendents 3, and the series Paradise City.

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Boyce was also known for his charity works in recent years, having raised over $27,000 in just 40 days for the Thirst Project, a non-profit that develops wells for clean drinking water in Swaziland. The actor was presented with the Pioneering Spirit Award at the 2018 Thirst Gala, and introduced Joe Biden at the Biden Courage Awards this spring. The former vice-president took to social media to express sadness at Boyce’s death, which saw a huge outpouring from fans and former co-stars, including Antonio Sabato Jr, Bold and Beautiful’s Pierson Fode (ex-Thomas Forrester) and Nashville’s Charles Esten, who had worked with the young actor on Jessie, and Adam Sandler, who played his father in Grown Ups.

Soaps.com extends condolences to the family and loved ones of Cameron Boyce at this difficult time.

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This is really weird to me💔. I just wanna share a little story. I met #CameronBoyce at my very second audition ever. There was a lot of little boys there but none like Cameron. Something about him drew me in. The top left picture and the middle one were his headshots. I had never seen a black boy look like that. Giant beautiful eyes and freckles. And he was so tiny. Only about 5 or 6. But I don’t remember anyone else in the room just this little boy. And he had a cute little voice lol I remember looking at his headshot and I wanted to remember his name. So specific right? Anyway as time went on I could never forget his face and his little energy. I watched his career grow and I was so proud of him. He was a little booking machine. Again years later I saw him at the Disney Awards and I was able to talk to him as a teenager. Now taller than me and so adorable. We took pictures and talked about how crazy it was that I never forgot him. I can’t find those pictures. I can’t remember who’s phone they were on. But there was something special about Cameron. Yes he could sing and he could dance and act and he was charming but there was something spiritually different that I could never shake. Maybe I knew he was temporary . Maybe he had visible angels with him guiding him to success and such a full life so young. I really don’t know. But I just wanna send so much love to his family. I’ve watched their support and love thru the years from a far and this is going to be unbearable. Also to his friends especially @karanbrar I just wanna wanna send love to you all. Losing someone special. The world lost a light. But I’ll always remember him as he was on the left. The tiny boy with big beautiful eyes who imprinted my mind forever 💙 #ripcameronboyce

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