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'Young and the Restless' star Kristoff St John dies at 52, just months after getting engaged to model girlfriend

Kristoff St John, 52, was found dead at his San Fernando Valley, California, home on Sunday by a close friend who went there to check on him

BY KUNAL DEY

UPDATED MAY 2, 2024

'Young and The Restless' star Kristoff St John has died at the age of 52, just months after getting engaged to Russian model Kseniya Mikhaleva, 25.

Kristoff's body was discovered Sunday by a friend of his who came by his home in San Fernando Valley, California, to check on him. Responding medics pronounced him dead upon arrival at his residence, Daily Mail reports.

Police said they have found no evidence of foul play in his death, TMZ reported. However, alcohol was possibly involved.

(L-R) Cast members of 'The Young and the Restless' actors Tonya Lee Williams, Eileen Davidson, Jeanne Cooper, Michelle Stafford, Kristoff St. John, Adrienne Frantz and Daniel Godbard attend the cake cutting ceremony celebrating 'The Young and the Restless' staying the number one rated daytime drama series for twenty years straight at CBS Studios on December 11, 2008 in Los Angeles, California. (Getty)

Since 1991, the talented actor had portrayed the fictional character Neil Winters on the CBS drama. His performance earned him a staggering nine Daytime Emmy Award nominations and several NAACP Image awards.

In November 2014, the actor and his wife, boxing legend Mia St. John, lost their 24-year-old son Julian while he was undergoing mental health treatment at a Long Beach hospital. Julian, who was a painter, had been diagnosed with schizophrenia aged 18, according to a HuffPost article.

Kristoff threatened to shoot himself around the time of his son's third death anniversary in the winter of 2017. He was subsequently placed on a 72-hour suicide watch.

Actor Kristoff St. John (R) and guest attend the 44th NAACP Image Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on February 1, 2013, in Los Angeles, California. (Getty)

Mia St. John confirmed her former husband's passing on Monday, with an emotional tweet that blamed the Long Beach hospital where Julian had died. "THAT HOSPITAL KILLED OUR SON THEN MY HUSBAND," she wrote. "THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED! THEY KILLED MY FAMILY."

Actress Yvette Nicole Brown was one of the first celebrities to pay tribute to Kristoff on social media after the tragic news broke. "No!!! This news has truly broken my heart," the 'Community' star tweeted. "Kristoff was pure & so kind. I will never forget how wonderful he was to me and everyone else he came into contact with. He was just a good, good man."

Kristoff leaves behind Mia, Allana Nadal, his second ex-wife, and Paris and Lola, his two daughters.

Actor Kristoff St. John (L) and daughter Paris St. John attend the CBS Daytime Emmy After Party at Pasadena Convention Center on April 29, 2018, in Pasadena, California. (Getty)

Kristoff proposed to Kseniya Mikhaleva, 25, his Russian model girlfriend, in September 2018. Following the tragedy, the bereaved fiancee wrote a tormented message on Instagram, saying, "How did it happen??? How??? Why did you leave so early???? and left me alone. I can’t believe you were everything to me. You were a loving father, a loving man. How!"

'Young and the Restless' premiered on CBS in 1973 and is currently in its 46th season.