Epiphany Johnson's Impressive Run On General Hospital
Everyone in front and behind the cameras on "General Hospital," as well as fans everywhere, have been mourning the heartbreaking death of Sonya Eddy, who played the beloved Epiphany Johnson on the soap. As the rough-and-tumble head nurse, Eddy brought gravitas to the role along with many humorous moments since she began on the show in 2006. On March 29th, as a lead-in to the sudser's 60th-anniversary celebration, "GH" honored the beloved actress with an episode dedicated to her and her on-screen persona. The producers opted not to recast what many considered an irreplaceable character and personality.
Epiphany had a softer side that she rarely let people see and would often belt out tunes for the hospital's annual Nurse's Ball fundraiser.
Even though she disapproved of her son Stan Johnson (Kiko Ellsworth) working for mafia boss Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard), which eventually resulted in his death in 2006 at the hands of rival bad guy Jerry Jacks (Sebastian Roche), Epiphany became unlikely friends with Sonny. After Stan was cremated, Epiphany had a heart attack but luckily pulled through.
Later, when Robin Scorpio (Kimberly McCullough) was presumed dead in an explosion at the hospital, Epiphany was there for Dr. Patrick Drake (Jason Thompson), who turned to drugs while grieving for his wife. She supported him and got him back on his feet. Then, Epiphany was shocked when one of Sonny's bodyguards, Milo Giambetti (Drew Cheetwood), told her he had a crush on her. One thing led to another, and the two fell in love.
Epiphany was known for helping anyone she could
In 2015, Sonny Corinthos hired Epiphany Johnson to help him recover from paralysis due to a gunshot wound. She worked him hard, even getting him to do boxing while in his wheelchair. She was overjoyed when Sonny eventually stood up from the chair and was back to his life again, although she wasn't happy that he hid his recovery from everyone else to keep his enemies off guard. However, she later forgave him for his deceit.
Epiphany was a constant cheerleader for her fellow hospital staff. When the hospital was in danger of being closed and began cutting staff, she rallied all the nurses to call in sick in protest, buying time for Dr. Hamilton Finn (Michael Easton) to save the institution. Epiphany also related to fellow nurse Bobbie Spencer (Jacklyn Zeman) when she disclosed her Type 2 Diabetes diagnosis, as they shared the condition. Epiphany's boyfriend, Milo Giambetti, was a fitness guru, and he had helped her with her diet, so she shared that knowledge with Bobbie.
In an exciting storyline in 2020, Epiphany helped the Port Charles police department pull off an elaborate scheme. Drug lord Cyrus Renault (Jeff Kober) was taking over the city and hellbent on getting revenge against Marcus Taggert (Réal Andrews), who had once sent him to prison. After Cyrus kidnapped Taggert's daughter and friend, the former detective was shot in a gunfight and presumed dead. However, police commissioner Jordan Ashford (then Briana Nicole Henry) had actually enrolled Epiphany to help fake Taggert's death.
Pursuing her dream, she met a tragic end
Cyrus Renault eventually took control of General Hospital and used it as a front for his drug operation. Epiphany Johnson was among many staff members who got demoted as a result. When Cyrus was eventually taken down and sent to prison, she got her job back.
By this point, Epiphany and Milo Giambetti had broken up, and she struck up a friendship with Marshall Ashford (Robert Gossett) that started blossoming into romance. Meanwhile, the talented nurse was also frustrated at being ordered around by doctors with much less experience than her. She confided in Marshall her secret dream of becoming a doctor, and he encouraged her to pursue it. With the help of T.J. Ashford (Tequan Richmond) and Dr. Portia Robinson (Brook Kerr), she passed her MCAT tests with flying colors.
When actress Sonya Eddy tragically died in 2022, "General Hospital" was forced to write out her character. Epiphany was said to have traveled to the West Coast to find the right medical school. However, when she stumbled across an accident on the side of the road, she jumped out to help an injured woman. Sadly, she then suffered a heart attack and died. Epiphany's friends and loved ones gathered to honor her life and accomplishments in March of 2023. A plaque with her picture was added to the wall at General Hospital, where images of other fallen staff members are displayed.
Not only will Eddy be greatly missed by the show's cast and crew, but fans will undoubtedly feel the loss of such an iconic character for years to come.