Maurice Benard, Max Gail general hospital mike sonny
Credit: Image: Jill Johnson/JPI

The Emmy winner expressed his appreciation for “the whole circle” of Corinthoses.

There can be no more avoiding it. The end is no longer near for General Hospital’s Mike Corbin, it’s here. And although it’s a heartbreaker for Max Gail, who succeeded Ron Hale in the role in 2018, he’s more filled with gratitude than sadness.

After Laura Wright, who plays daughter-in-law Carly, tweeted on September 16 that “I love my GH family!!!!” — and tagged Gail, Steve Burton (Jason), Eden McCoy (Josslyn), Maurice Benard (Sonny) “and yes, you, too, Chad Duell (Michael)” — Gail seized the opportunity to reply.

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“I [love them], too,” he wrote. “What a magnificent experience to work with you all. And at the center of that, from the first moment, thank you, Mauricio, for your presence and openness… and Laura… and on through the whole circle.”

How cute is it that Gail calls Benard by his birth name (Mauricio Morales)! Elsewhere on social media, McCoy, as she often does, sang the praises of her castmates. “So, after the work I saw on set today, I know more than ever that the incredible actors I get to learn from every day are magicians,” she tweeted. “They make me feel emotions I didn’t know I had. Wow. Just wow.”

Yep, that’s pretty much how viewers have reacted, too, to the storyline in which Mike and his family have dealt with his Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Even Benard’s mom has been a wreck. Look at what she tweeted to her son:

Now that the arc has come to its inevitable, heart-stomping conclusion, we can do nothing but dab at the tears that are falling like rain. What happens next? The below photo gallery might give you some idea; it foreshadows the impact that Mike’s passing will have on everyone from Sonny to Sam. You could just read it, but we suspect you’ll, you know… read it and weep.