GH’s Kristina Wagner Turns Heartbreak To Hope

General Hospital star Kristina Wagner experienced every parent’s worst nightmare in 2022 when her and ex-husband Jack Wagner’s younger son Harrison died at the age of 27. However, the actress now reveals how her son’s spirit has helped guide her since his passing.

Wagner Looks Toward The Future

Wagner took to Instagram to post an adorable candid snap of herself, her older son Peter, and Harrison taken in 1997. In the caption, she wrote a powerful message about loss and hope that can inspire us all.

“We have a right to grieve but grief should not define a life. You are on earth not to grieve constantly for what you do not have but to rejoice in what you do and to share with others,” Wagner said. “The picture was taken by my mother, Carolyn, while we were on a road trip to Montana in 1997. Peter, Harrison, and I try our skills to balance on a log.

“Mom saw this moment and snapped her Instamatic camera without our knowing. I wonder what her thoughts were at that moment. I feel the last 20 months have been the slowest period I have ever lived through. Maybe that’s a good thing: I don’t take each day for granted.

“I fill each day with meaning and purpose the best I can. I approach daily events with curiosity and love. I know it takes great effort to get along in this world and find some clarity. My son Harrison travels with me — not just in my memories or in my grief — but as my guide. Because of this, I experience joy in a way I never dreamed possible. You see him in this picture as a tag-along, but in truth, he now guides me on my journey.”

The Wagners Honor Their Son

Harrison Wagner was found dead in a parking lot on June 6, 2022. Six months later, the L.A. coroner’s office ruled his death as an accident resulting from a mix of fentanyl and Xanax.

After his death, the Wagners created The Harrison Wagner Scholarship Fund to help young men with addiction. On the fund’s website, Jack and Kristina describe Harrison and the fund’s mission.

“Harrison was a bright, exuberant young man whose smile lit up any room he was in. He has left behind many men and family members who loved him deeply. We are heartbroken that he ultimately lost his battle with addiction and we hope that Harrison’s memory will live on through this scholarship and will help other young men get help for their addiction that would not otherwise be able to afford it.”