S.W.A.T. Star Shemar Moore Pays Tribute To Kristoff St. John!

A novice actor in 1994, Shemar Moore was handed a big opportunity when he was cast as Malcolm Winters on The Young and the Restless opposite TV brother Kristoff St. John. St. John played Neil and helped mentor the daytime newcomer, paving the way for the success Moore enjoys today on the CBS nighttime crime drama S.W.A.T.

Now, Moore has taken to social media to honor the man he describes as a brother, following St. John’s untimely death at the age of 52 on February 3.

“I lost my brother yesterday, I never had a brother, but you were my brother,” Moore said, clearly overwhelmed by emotion. “You showed me the way. You were my mentor, you were my inspiration. You showed me what true talent was, you showed me what humility was.

“I love you. I hate this. I love you. But I’m going to celebrate all your good. To my Young and Restless family, Kristoff St. John aka Neil Winters — celebrate this man, the most popular iconic black man in soap opera daytime history. Give him that. He earned it.”

Moore then named St. John’s family and loved ones including his two daughters, Paris and Lola, telling them to cry their tears, and that he was crying right along with them, but then urged them to celebrate St. John’s “heart, his goofy ways, his talent. He loved you. He loved us.”

“Sleep man, find your peace,” Moore added.

Moore continued to share more pictures of his TV brother into the night. On one particular image of the two hugging, he wrote, “RIP……. ‘This ain’t goodbye Brother… Watch me make you proud!! We will be together again… I LOVE YOU Kristoff!!! Just go chill out and watch me carry YOUR torch'”

It was just back on January 10 that Moore had done a shout out on Instagram to St. John, giving the handsome actor a hard time about never changing his hairstyle — as only a “brother” could do.