‘YR’ Star Eric Braeden, 83, Receives Prayers with His Latest Video Appearance after Battling Cancer

Legendary actor Eric Braeden, beloved for his iconic role as Victor Newman on “The Young and the Restless,” has received an outpouring of support and prayers from fans following his battle with cancer.

In a recent Instagram video, Braeden shared his excitement over a women’s college basketball tournament that featured star player Caitlin Clark. Wearing a matching black shirt and jacket, along with eyeglasses, Braeden’s enthusiasm was clearly palpable.

However, fans were quick to express their concerns for his health along with their well-wishes, highlighting the depth of their affection and concern for the veteran actor.

The comments from fans ranged from observations about his health to outright expressions of support. One fan noted, “I hope you are well, your breathing is suspect,” indicating concern over his physical condition.

Another commented, “Hi Eric. Hope you are feeling stronger every day.” The support continued with another fan expressing, “Sending you continued strength and blessings for healing Eric.”

Some fans also reflected on Braeden’s impact both on and off the screen. He is known for his character, Victor Newman, in the CBS soap opera “The Young and the Restless.”

“When The GREAT Eric ‘VICTOR NEWMAN’ Braeden gives his thoughts, we listen. Hope u are feeling well. Sending so much love,” a fan remarked.

Another supporter chimed in, “When Victor Newman speaks wisdom we all listen well spoken well spoken Mr Newman aka Eric love you.”

Additionally, one netizen expressed the thrill of receiving praise from Victor Newman, celebrating Clark’s impact on changing perceptions of women’s basketball.

Amidst this wave of support, Braeden recently shared a positive update about his health, “My cancer diagnosis right now is on hold, as it were, and [I’m] very grateful for very good doctors and very good modern cancer treatment which has improved enormously.”

He urged, “People shouldn’t be afraid of it, you know. Just go and have your cystoscopy, have your colonoscopy, have your heart checked out. Do all that, do it in time.”

Braeden’s current state of good health contrasts sharply with the challenges he faced nearly a year ago.

The actor’s message of hope and resilience comes after he revealed his cancer battle on April 22, 2023, through a Facebook Live video, detailing his treatment for high-grade cancer cells discovered near his bladder.

During treatment for prostate issues and before his UroLift procedure, doctors found high-grade cancer cells near his bladder, he revealed. He detailed undergoing a six-week course of immunotherapy to treat these cells.

Braeden realized the importance of being attuned to his body’s signals, admitting to feeling under the weather but remaining defiant against the illness. I’ve learned now to listen to my body more, and not go all out,” he said.

“So if you’ve seen me a little under the weather, yeah, I have been, but I will lick this. This bastard ain’t going to get me, I’m going to get it. I’ll be in top form again soon,” Braeden expressed with determination.

Six months into his recovery journey, Braeden’s optimistic outlook has proven to be beneficial and rewarding.

In August 2023, Braeden announced his victory over cancer, sharing, “As of three days ago, I am cancer-free.” He thanked his supporters, “I thank you for all of your good thoughts, all of your prayers,” adding that they “meant a great deal” to him.

Braeden expressed happiness about getting older, emphasizing his love for life and work. “I love life, man. Why wouldn’t I? I’m working on the No. 1 show. It has been No. 1 for 38 years now. Why would I complain? That would be obscene,” he said.

However, Braeden remains cautious, acknowledging that his journey isn’t over and that he needs further tests to monitor his condition.

In September 2023, in an interview with “Today,” Braeden shared that he was ready to get back to his everyday life, feeling healthy and moving on from his health issues. “I already am (in fighting shape). I’ve already kind of forgotten about it,” he said.

Braeden recalled his battle with cancer and described the whole process as “manageable.” While he assured he is feeling well, he shared that his medical team is looking into whether his cancer was inherited or caused by environmental factors, especially since his brother had a similar issue.

Witnessing his brother’s health struggle inspired Braeden to publicly share his story to help others. The actor is now passionate about using his experience to encourage others to be proactive about their health.

For him, knowing what a person is up against health-wise is crucial. He likened it to facing an adversary, “I want to know my enemy. When someone threatens me, I come after them.”

His message is clear: regular check-ups and screenings can make a significant difference in managing health issues. “The more preventive we are, the easier it is to treat things,” Braeden emphasized.

Braeden has not only resumed his career and regained his health; he has also continued to cherish his relationship with his family, particularly his longtime wife, Dale Russell.

As reported in April 2022, Braeden met his wife at Santa Monica College, where he studied economics and philosophy while she was an art major. After being married for decades, his wife still described him as an endearing man.

When the couple first met, the actor was still using his birth name, Hans Gudegast. After emigrating to the United States in 1959, he chose the name Eric Braeden for the movie “Colossus: The Forbin Project.”

However, he still uses his birth name among family and old friends. Braeden and his wife, who have been married since 1966, welcomed their son, Christian Gudegast, on February 9, 1970, in Los Angeles.

Eric Braeden met his wife at Santa Monica College, where he studied economics and philosophy while she was an art major. After being married for decades, his wife still described him as an endearing man.

When the couple first met, the actor was still using his birth name, Hans Gudegast. After emigrating to the United States in 1959, he chose the name Eric Braeden for the movie “Colossus: The Forbin Project.”

However, he still uses his birth name among family and old friends. Braeden and his wife, who have been married since 1966, welcomed their son, Christian Gudegast, on February 9, 1970, in Los Angeles.

SECRET TO ERIC BRAEDEN’S LONG MARRIAGE

Being married for over 50 years is no mean feat, and Braeden believes that falling in love is only the first part, as liking your partner is also essential to the longevity of any relationship.

Braeden also revealed that his marriage has survived because he respects his wife for who she is because after having gone through certain life situations, he has gotten to know her.

In their years together, his wife has supported him throughout his career. When he took the role of John Jacob Astor in “Titanic,” he hated the role because he felt it was not for him, but his wife convinced him to take it.

THE HOUSE ERIC BRAEDEN HAS LIVED IN FOR ALMOST FOUR DECADES

Braeden acquired a 3,500-square-foot mountain home in Santa Monica. He fell in love with the area the first time he was around it. He said,

“The first time I drove through the area, I said, ‘I want to live here someday!'”

Once he picked the area almost forty years ago, he did nothing else as he let his wife do the rest. He revealed that she always did the decorating while he wrote the checks.

Their home boasts of a backyard that features a pool with stone fountains and a spectacular view, especially at night after they light up the trees.

The couple has various potted plants that create a landscape to frame the pool area and add beauty to the site just by the backyard pool.

Braeden’s beautiful house has a living room filled with family photos, artifacts, and other trinkets placed on shelves and at the top of the fireplace.

Their outdoor balcony, where they can enjoy the mountain view, also has a seating area to accommodate at least nine people. Braeden’s wife also decorated the space with colorful potted plants.

The outdoor balcony has an aesthetics that does not take away from the forest surrounding the property but adds to them. To further complement the ambiance, Braeden’s wife added old rustic lanterns.

For the floorwork of their backyard, the couple opted for mosaic-styled flooring patterns and finished off the decor with potted plants. Braeden, pretty fond of flowers, picks them and decorates his home with them from his garden.

The front area of Braeden’s house is covered with flowering and non-flowering plants and climbing plants on the wall of the house. Inside, they have a cozy mini-dining room perfect for their small family.

BRAEDEN ALMOST LOST HIS HOME

In October 2019, Braeden was forced to evacuate his home due to the devastating California wildfires. Before evacuating, they watered down their entire property to keep it safe from the wildfire.

After evacuation, Braeden was shocked that people still had their power lines above ground as he attributed the devastating fires to these.

Braeden had fears that he might never see his home again after leaving. However, he and his family were able to return to the house in time to celebrate Halloween.

Unfortunately, in 2018, his granddaughter was not so lucky as the wildfire caught her house. In the images, he shared with his fans, her apartment, including her roof, had completely burned down.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire recorded the 2018 wildfire, with 8,527 fires, as the deadliest and most destructive wildfire season in California.

ERIC BRAEDEN’S FAMILY

Even though he has not officially retired from acting, Braeden spends most of his time doting on his granddaughters from his only son.

His son, Christian, graduated from UCLA Film School in 1992, and his thesis film, “Shadow Box,” was the Best Student Film that same year.

Christian started as a rap music-video director before he sold his first script, “Black Ocean,” in 1993 and launched his screenwriting career.

Braeden frequently shares photos of his granddaughters on his social media pages and is quick to acknowledge their triumphs. When his eldest granddaughter, an equestrian, came 4th out of 40 riders, he shared that he was proud of her.

Besides sharing pictures of his eldest granddaughter at practice, he also used social media to celebrate and wish her a Happy International Women’s Day and Mother’s day.

When he is not sharing photos of his eldest granddaughter, he is visiting his younger granddaughters, who love to have him around, or sharing adorable pictures of his youngest granddaughters.

In one of the clips Braeden shared, his youngest daughter was trying to describe how huge she is, and it was beautiful to watch. In another image, he showed that his youngest granddaughter was on her way to ballet.

For sure, Braeden always has time for his grandchildren and enjoys the joys of grandparenting. He said,

“Being a grandfather just gives me a feeling of unrestricted, unlimited love. It’s unmitigated joy.”

The doting grandfather, who has made no plans to retire, continues with his role as Victor Newman in “The Young and the Restless.”