Five Things That Happened On February 25 In Soap History

In 1980, Days of Our Lives's Don Craig (Jed Allan) and Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) welcomed their son Don, Jr., who they nicknamed DJ. The child was born prematurely at University Hospital and was delivered by Neil Curtis. Tragically, when he was only three months old, DJ lost his life to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The devastating death of their baby tore Don and Marlena's marriage apart. Don fell into an affair with Liz Chandler, and he and Marlena got a divorce — paving the way for her to fall in love with Roman Brady, and later, John Black.

In 1992, Tristan Rogers (pictured with Finola Hughes as Anna) aired for the final time as Robert Scorpio on General Hospital (he would return to the show for a visit in 1995, but didn't come back for a longer stint until 2006). Reflecting on his exit to Soap Opera Digest in 2013, Rogers admitted, "I was desperately unhappy at the time that I left. I couldn't get out of there fast enough. Then, I became a parent and my life changed completely, but I still had no intention of ever going back. I was adamant about it at that point. Every year the rumor would come up and I'd go, 'No, ain't gonna happen.' "

In 2000, Jacob Young debuted as General Hospital's Lucky Spencer. Jonathan Jackson had previously played the role from 1993-99. Prior to being cast as the son of supercouple Luke and Laura, Young had starred on Bold and Beautiful as Rick Forrester from 1997-99. He exited the show in 2003, after winning the 2002 Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Younger Actor. In 2023, Young told Soap Opera Digest of his time on the show, "Definitely my fondest memories were working with Tony [Geary, Luke]. He brought so much to the table every day and just made everyone strive to be better actors. And, not to be in second place is Kin Shriner [Scott] for always being a mentor and showing me the ropes and how to change things up and bring something new to the role."

In 2003, future Tony Award winner Renee Elise Goldsberry made her One Life to Live debut as Evangeline Williamson. She had been a fan of the show prior to being cast, and in 2004, when asked by Soap Opera Weekly who in the cast she had been most excited to meet when she was hired, she said, "Probably Erika [Slezak, Viki], because she's the one I remembered the most. Between Robin [Strasser, Dorian] and Erika, meeting the both of them was the most exciting. Their personalities are so loving and strong that it eclipses the characters that have been so huge in your life."

In 2015, Ava Jerome (Maura West) was revealed to be alive after she was paid a visit at a hospital in New York City by her former lover, Silas Clay (Michael Easton). Ava had been presumed dead after being shot at close range by Carlos Rivera and plunging off of a bridge earlier in the month. Ava's "resurrection" paved the way for her eventual return to Port Charles in the guise of her made-up identical twin, who Ava named Denise DeMucchio.