How General Hospital's Kristina Wagner Finds Joy After Son Harrison's Death
In the 1980s, "General Hospital" super couple Frisco and Felicia Jones overcame nearly insurmountable odds time and again, always coming out on top. Their portrayers, Jack and Kristina Wagner, fell in love in real life and were married from 1993 to 2006. During that time, they had two sons, Peter and Harrison, born in 1990 and 1994 respectively. Although divorced, they remained friends and continued to co-parent their boys amicably. In June 2015, Jack told Parade that he still has love for his former wife. "The fact that we're not married really doesn't change [anything]," he said, adding, "We love each other, respect each other, and have gotten past what didn't work and now really just appreciate each other for who we are."
In 2022, the couple faced a devastating tragedy that no parent should have to experience: the heartbreaking death of 27-year-old Harrison, who sadly passed away that June from a drug overdose. But, with great effort and the love and support of friends and family, the Wagners were able to move forward.
On February 1, 2024, Kristina shared some details as to how exactly she picked herself up and dusted herself off after her loss, writing on Instagram, "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."
Harrison continues to guide her
"General Hospital" star Kristina Wagner described the photograph that was part of her Instagram post. "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," she wrote. She explained that her mom obviously whipped out a camera and snapped the picture without telling them. "I wonder what her thoughts were at that moment," she mused.
Feeling that the last couple of years "have been the slowest period I have ever lived through," she pondered that it was probably for the best. "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." Realizing that finding "clarity" in the face of unbelievable heartbreak takes a lot of work, she always keeps Harrison in her thoughts. "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," she wrote, adding that while he appears to be tagging along in the photo, "in truth, he now guides me on my journey."
Co-star Finola Hughes (Anna Devane) responded, "Beautifully written, a beautiful reflection of a moment in time." After Harrison's death, the Wagners created The Harrison Wagner Scholarship Fund to help other young men who are struggling with addiction.