It has been more than five years since the soap world lost veteran actor John Callahan, best known for his unforgettable role as Edmund Grey on All My Children. Callahan passed away in March 2020 from a massive stroke at the age of 66, leaving behind a rich legacy in daytime television — and a family devastated by his sudden loss.
In a new exclusive with Michael Fairman TV, shared ahead of an upcoming episode of Soapy hosted by Rebecca Budig (Taylor, The Bold and the Beautiful) and Greg Rikaart (Leo, Days of Our Lives; Kevin, The Young and the Restless), Callahan’s ex-wife and longtime friend Eva LaRue spoke candidly about the aftermath of his passing. LaRue and Callahan shared a daughter, Kaya Callahan, and the actress revealed the deeply personal struggles she faced as a mother in the months and years following his death.
A Daughter’s Struggle with Grief
LaRue admitted that navigating her daughter’s grief was one of the hardest challenges she’s ever faced. “It was rough after John died,” she shared. “She (Kaya) went into a spiral for almost two years, like really depressive. It was a tough time for us, just as mother and daughter, because you would think that a kid really clings to the living parent more, but actually, a lot of times they don’t. They’re just mad, and they take it out on you.”
The actress added that she has since heard from other parents who went through similar experiences. “I’ve heard a lot that the kids will just shut down. I kept trying to be here for her, and she just was not having it,” she explained.
From Co-Stars to Family
LaRue recently wrapped up her role on General Hospital as Natalia Rogers-Ramirez, whose heartbreaking death aired on June 30 when the character overdosed. Of course, she is still most beloved by daytime fans as Dr. Maria Santos on AMC, a role she played on and off from 1993 to 2011. LaRue also portrayed Celeste Rosales on Y&R from 2019-2020.
It was during her years on AMC that she met Callahan. Their on-screen chemistry as Maria and Edmund soon became a real-life romance, making them one of daytime’s most talked-about couples of the era. The pair married in 1996, welcomed their daughter Kaya, and divorced in 2006, but they remained close friends while raising their child.
The Role of Therapy in Healing
When Rikaart asked how she and Kaya eventually worked through the strain on their relationship, LaRue was open about the answer. “A crap ton of therapy and it’s been phenomenal,” she revealed. “It not only saved our relationship, but we’re closer than we ever were, and we were close before that. Thank God. It’s really been lovely.”
What’s Next for Eva LaRue
Later this year, LaRue will share another personal chapter of her life in her upcoming documentary, My Nightmare Stalker: The Eva LaRue Story, debuting on Paramount+. The project will detail the harrowing 12-year ordeal she and Kaya endured at the hands of a relentless stalker. LaRue previewed that the film focuses on “the emotional toll, the terrifying encounters, and the strength it took to protect her family and survive.”
For both LaRue and Kaya, the past several years have been filled with unimaginable challenges. Yet through grief, therapy, and resilience, the mother-daughter duo has come out stronger — continuing to honor John Callahan’s legacy while embracing the next chapter of their lives.
