General Hospital Star Ryan Carnes Reports From The Southern Border

Lucas will get the shock of his soap opera life this week on General Hospital, but his portrayer, Ryan Carnes, has been taking real life to heart and visiting the country’s southern border when not on set.

Ryan Carnes Gives Humanitarian Aid

Last month, Soap Hub reported on Carnes‘ first trip, the details of which he shared on Instagram. This past weekend, he shared the experiences from his second trip and got to know the lives of asylum seekers, and all they face, better.

His words are both heartbreaking and moving as he learns about human suffering and how privileged so many of us are without us even realizing it. Let the actor who brings Lucas to life tell you about it.

His Own Words

“Made my second trip to the border with @thisisabouthumanity, led by the incredible and indomitable @elsamariecollins @yscalibaja and @zoe.winkler.reinis. What these women have created is deeply impactful — both for the asylum-seekers whose lives are made better by their generosity and commitment to a more kind, humane world, and for those of us who get to experience first-hand the atrocities through which some of our fellow brothers and sisters have to live.

“Both times I’ve gone, as I’ve heard poignant, sometimes atrocious stories of the circumstances some of these humans have faced that have compelled them to flee and legally seek asylum (which is a human right recognized by the UN), I’m reminded both of the resilience of the human spirit and just how fortunate I am to have been born where I was, at the time I was, to the family in which I was born, and to have largely lived a very, very safe, secure life, full of opportunity.

“Not everyone lives like that. Some people’s hard-earned money is stolen from them by thugs who wield power because of the mere threat of violence. Some people’s spouses are beaten and murdered for no apparent reason. Some people’s children are stolen and sold into child labor or sex slavery. Some people are bullied for their sexual orientation, beaten, raped, and sodomized — simply for being who they are and for triggering unconscious fear and insecurity in others.

“On these trips, I have seen and heard things I never thought I would see or hear. I have been reminded of how important it is to be of service in this life and to move through our days with as much love, kindness, compassion, and generosity as we can possibly muster. And I have witnessed directly what a difference showing up to offer time, energy, resources, and love can make in the lives of others.”

See Carnes’ full post by his Instagram photo below. He concluded what he had to say after this trip in the comments section. General Hospital (GH) airs weekdays on ABC. Check your local listings for airtimes.