Michael Easton Says He Was Holding One Life to Live Costar Kamar de los Reyes' Hand When He Died

Michael Easton was his best friend and One life to live at the side of costar Camaro de los Reyes when he died.

While speaking on May 16 Getting up every day: a cancer-defying benefit – we all have a story live stream, Easton, 57, paid tribute to de los Reyes, who died on Dec. 24, 2023, at the age of 56 after being diagnosed with cancer.

Easton recalled, “I was holding his hand when he passed, and he was surrounded by family and friends. There was so much love around him. I mean, he touched so many lives,” adding that his memorial service was held in “the biggest room in Forest Lawn [in Los Angeles]” and still “they couldn’t all stop.”

“People were stretched all the way out. People showed up that they hadn’t seen him in 20 years. That was the effect. So many One life cast members came and cast from All American,” Easton said, referring to the TV series de los Reyes in which he played Montes’ coach from 2022 until his death.

Michael Easton (left) and Kamar de los Reyes pictured in 1994.

Barry King/Alamy

One life to live Star Kamar de los Reyes died at 56

Easton played John McBain alongside Antonio Vega’s de los Reyes character in One life to live. The drama ran for 21 seasons from 1968 to 2013. De los Reyes starred in the series from 1995 to 2009, while Easton was in it from 1999 to 2012.

The actors’ friendship actually began when they starred in the 1990 action thriller Cold fire together.

“It was a 30-year friendship with Kamar. We made our first film together in 1990. I was scared and silent, and I was immediately drawn to his courage and his sense of self. Kamar was larger than life,” Easton divided.

“He was best man at my wedding and I am best man at his son Michael. His loss was profound for all of us,” he added.

Remembering his best friend, Easton continued, “Not a day goes by that I don’t think about him and his family and what he brought to this world, and the contributions he made, not just to this acting community.”

Kamar de los Reyes (left), Michael Easton on ‘One Life to Live’.

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Easton also revealed that de los Reyes had been working until two weeks before his death, and that he always spoke of “recovery” rather than being sick.

“Interestingly, he went to work two weeks before he passed away All American,” Easton recalled.

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“He was fierce until the end. He never talked about being sick. Even though the odds were stacked from the beginning, and it’s still very difficult for me to talk about it, I was in awe of his strength and his determination. He would have shut down a lot before him,” he continued.

De los Reyes is survived by his wife, actress Sherri Saum, and sons Caylen from a previous relationship, and twins Michael and John, whom he shared with Saum.

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Source: HIS Education