How ‘Young And The Restless’ Handled Kristoff St. John Death, One Year Later

It has been one year since “Young and the Restless” star Kristoff St. John suddenly passed away from heart disease combined with accidental alcohol overdose, and while fans and his co-stars may still be feeling the loss, his former show made sure to give a proper send-off to both the actor and his longtime legendary character, Neil Winters.

After the actor’s unexpected death on Feb. 3, 2019, it was quickly revealed by CBS that the actor’s final episode where his character would be featured was actually scheduled to air that same week, with his final scenes seeing Neil support his son, Devon (Lamon Archey), as he took some new steps forward with his career as a mogul. A brief tribute to the actor was also aired that week during a regular episode.

However, the network came under fire later on for the character not receiving an ending that fans felt he deserved, and they quickly revealed just days later that while St. John would not be featured in it because of his death, a proper goodbye would be given to his character. That storyline, which aired in April, saw Devon open a brand new restaurant in Genoa City and invite his father to the opening. However, that same night, he discovered he had suddenly died on the show as well, and a week of episodes showing the characters grieving and mourning Neil followed.

Another tribute episode also aired, which saw the actors from the show who worked with St. John often all discuss his legacy and their friendships with him. Among those who participated in the special were not only current stars like Eric Braden (Victor Newman), Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki Newman), and Archey, but also other former co-stars like Victoria Rowell, who portrayed his love interest Drucilla for several years and Mishael Morgan, who had portrayed the character of Hillary until 2018.

Since then, Neil’s influence has still been felt throughout storylines, particularly ones that have affected Devon, including a storyline that brought Morgan back to the show in a new role and saw him adjusting to losing his inheritance due to a scam. When scenes in Devon’s penthouse apartment air, a photo of St. John is often also seen in the background.

“The Young and the Restless” airs weekdays at 12:30 p.m. EST on CBS.