Just Who Is Valerie Grant on Days of Our Lives?

The character of Valerie Grant has returned to Days of Our Lives after a long absence. So just who is Valerie Grant (Vanessa Williams), and what did she do during her previous stints in Salem? While you may know that she had the first interracial daytime kiss in the ’70s with Julie’s son, David Banning, the rest of her life may be a mystery.

First Time Around
Valerie arrived in Salem in the mid-1970s, and befriended Julie’s (Susan Seaforth Hayes) son, David. He was in a car accident and presumed dead by everyone in Salem. In reality, when he exited the river, the Grant family took care of David. During those months, Valerie, then a student looking forward to a medical career, fell in love with young David. He brought her to Salem for Christmas to meet his family and friends.

Valerie took a job working part time in Laura Horton’s (now Jaime Lynn Bauer) office. She and David became engaged, but David found himself fearing commitment. It became too much for him, and he had a one-night stand with Trish Clayton. After a lot Trish drama, she realized she was pregnant by David (resulting in son Scotty). David and Valerie ended things, and she left for medical school in Washington, D.C.

The Second Round
In 1981, Valerie turned up in Salem when Nick Corelli took a bullet out of David and wanted Valerie, now an intern, to treat him and Nick held a gun on her to make it happen. Nick was blackmailing Julie to guarantee David’s safe return, but Valerie turned the tables on Nick. She then hid David at her apartment and helped Julie help him escape Salem.

Neil found out about the incident and blackmailed Valerie, who had accused him of being drunk and killing a patient on the operating table. She told Tom Horton about the blackmail attempt by Neil. During this time, Valerie briefly dated Abe Carver (James Reynolds). It didn’t last long, and she soon left town–only to return again

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