maurice benard birthday bash gh
Credit: Howard Wise/JPI

“Boy, did he love General Hospital.“

Over the years, General Hospital star Maurice Benard has generously opened himself up, sharing not only glimpses into Sonny’s world but his own. As part of that, we’ve come to know his beautiful, loving family, including the man who helped make him who he is, dad Humberto Morales. So we could almost hear the pain in the actor’s voice as we read the Instagram post in which he shared the news of his father’s passing. 

“I lay here with a heavy heart but no anxiety,” he wrote, “knowing I will never see my hero again.”

Our hearts broke for Benard, especially as we flipped through the photos and videos he shared, each showing the bond they shared, their eyes full of love for one another. 

 

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“My dad was one of a kind, no one like him,” wrote the grieving actor, adding that “those who knew him know what I’m talking about.”

Theirs was a deep and abiding connection. “When I was a little boy, I wanted to be him,” reflected Benard. “Nobody was more proud of me than my father, and boy, did he love General Hospital.“

GH Maurice Benard Dad Humberto TV Dad Max Gail

Above: As a fan of the soap, Humberto was tickled to meet his son’s TV dad, Max Gail (ex-Mike).

Credit: Jill Johnson/JPI

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In fact, in one of the videos, Humberto declares he watches the soap “every day, no matter what, rain or shine.”

And like every soap fan, Humberto had his opinions on the unfolding storylines, with Benard saying his dad didn’t like “Carly and Jason as a couple.”

In this trying time, Benard held close to his heart words his father had left him with. “My dad always said in Spanish, ‘What’s going to happen, it’s gonna happen, don’t worry.’” 

In letting go, the actor urged his dad to “say hi to everybody” and had one final wish for him. “Maybe you can even sing a song with Frank Sinatra.” 

Even as we keep Benard and his family in our thoughts, we find ourselves reflecting on other daytimers who, like him, have shared with us glimpses into their lives, including photos of the fathers who have meant so much to them.