Actor Jack Wagner suffered every parent’s worst nightmare when his youngest son, Harrison Wagner, was found dead in a parking lot in North Hollywood, California, on June 7, 2022, according to Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner’s case information obtained by Closer. While it’s still unclear how he died, Harrison had struggled with addiction issues in the past. Get to know the Melrose Place star’s family.
Jack Wagner Has Been Married Once to Kristina Wagner
The handsome hunk married his General Hospital costar Kristina Wagner, formerly Kristina Malandro. The pair were part of the show’s 1980s super couple of Frisco and Felicia Jones, as their amazing onscreen chemistry heated up in real life. The couple tied the knot in a December 18, 1993, private ceremony in Lake Tahoe. By then, they had already welcomed their first child, as Kristina became pregnant in early 1990, and the pair welcomed son Peter later that year.
Jack and Kristina decided to split in 2001, going to far as to file for divorce and citing irreconcilable differences. But the pair worked through their issues and publicly reconciled in 2004. Sadly, the reunion didn’t last long, as they decided the following year that the divorce was back on, with it being legally finalized in 2006.
Jack Wagner and Kristina Wagner’s 2 Sons
In addition to Peter, the couple later welcomed Harrison in 1994, one year after their wedding. The boys grew into handsome young men just like their father. Jack has shared photos with his sons on Instagram over the years, including one in 2018 where he wrote, “A ‘hang’ day with my boys!! Grateful & sending love to all.” In another gorgeous snapshot with his boys the same year, the actor gushed, “Love these guys. Grateful.” Peter is an aspiring actor with credits including the TV movie Wedding March 2: Resorting to Love.
Jack Wagner’s Son Harrison Wagner Struggled With Addiction
Before his death, Harrison went missing for nearly a week in July 2016. Jack took to Twitter at the time and wrote, “I’m going to ask those who want to share their fears, addictions & struggles to do so w/me via Twitter. We can face them together, I’ll start.”
He then shared, “I fear for my youngest son’s safety. Harrison has struggled w drugs & alcohol just as I did when I was younger. He’s relapsed and is MIA 5 days.” Jack later updated fans on Twitter to tell them Harrison had been located, but it appeared that his dad was unable to force him into rehab, as his son was an adult. “Harrison’s been in touch. He’s 21 and in charge of his life. Thank you for the love and prayers. Please continue to share your struggles. It helps us all,” his tweet read.
In the days and months leading up to his death, Harrison appeared to be happy and close with his family. He was seen in photos on his Instagram page alongside his brother and mother at her Southern California ranch on May 19. On March 17, Harrison shared a selfie with his dad where both men appeared smiling and wrote, “Like father like son,” in the caption.
Jack Wagner Has a Long-Lost Daughter
The actor also had a successful music career, and one night before going onstage at a 2011 concert, he got a knock on his dressing room door. “In rushes this hysterical young girl,” Jack recalled on Oprah: Where Are They Now? in an interview.
The then-23-year-old threw her arms around him as Jack continued, “[She] holds me and squeezed me and I said, ‘Wait a minute.’ She says, ‘You don’t know who I am, do you?’” He didn’t and the woman responded, “I’m your daughter.” Kerry Wagner is the oldest of Jack’s children, who was conceived in following a one-night stand in the late 1980s.
Jack said he got a call from a woman in 1998 saying she had given birth to their baby girl but was putting her up for adoption “She was in a position where she felt she wasn’t able to raise Kerry, so she, I’m sure, made a difficult choice,” Jack said on the program. “[She] called me that day and said, ‘Listen, I just had a baby. You’re the father, and I’m not going be able to take care of her. I’m putting her up for adoption.’”
The Bold and the Beautiful star explored his options, revealing, “I called an attorney and did the best I could. But it was just something that was out of my control.” After Kerry tracked him down in 2011, the pair bonded and Jack shared, “It’s a real blessing. It’s been a real gift for me,” of his daughter coming into his life.
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
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