Vanessa Marcil Exited General Hospital as Brenda and Other Big Soap Moments From July 21

In 1972, Victoria Wyndham (pictured with George Reinholt as Steve Frame) assumed the role of Rachel on Another World, taking over from the original Rachel, Robin Strasser. Wyndham would go on to become the matriarch of the show, remaining with the series through to its cancellation in 1999. Prior to becoming a Bay City institution, Wyndham portrayed Charlotte Waring Fletcher Bauer on Guiding Light (1967-71).

In 2008, One Life To Live’s Bo (Robert S. Woods, r.) and Rex (John-Paul Lavoisier) time-traveled to 1968 after being struck by lightning. When they came to, they were informed that the year was 1968, and in an homage to the show's 40th anniversary, a television in the room depicted the premiere of OLTL. In lieu of the show's regular theme song, the 1968 theme song even played. "I love a good joke, but this isn't the right time," Bo grumbled. The man trying to explain things to them, Chuck, said, "I'm not joking, Sir. It's 1968. President Johnson's in the White House. You had him over for dinner before the election. You gave him a great big check." "I did?" gasped Bo.

In 2011, Vanessa Marcil (pictured with Maurice Benard as Sonny) exited General Hospital as Brenda Barrett after a year-long return; she'd previously been on the show from 1992-98 and 2002-03. During this particular comeback, Sonny and Brenda tied the knot at long last, but split over Brenda's fear that Sonny's life in the mob would put her son in jeopardy. Brenda made the decision to take her son Alec, back to Rome. In her emotional parting with Brenda, Sonny told her, "I hope you and your child are happy and you guys find, you know, a new — you meet a man, okay, that can give you what you need. But I'm going to tell you something, okay? No matter where you are, I will always love you." Marcil would go on to make a short-term comeback in 2013, on the occasion of GH's 50th anniversary, marking her final appearance in the Port Charles landscape.

In 2011, Jason Morgan (Steve Burton) and Sam McCall (Kelly Monaco) got engaged on General Hospital. Jason had purchased an extravagant diamond ring with which to pop the question, but Maxie misplaced it, so Jason instead proposed with a lug nut. "I love you so much," Jason told Sam. "And I would be honored to spend the rest of my life with you. Will you marry me?" After accepting, Sam gushed, "I couldn't imagine anything more on this planet than being your wife."

In 2023 on General Hospital, Curtis Ashford, who had taken a bullet at the Metro Court on the Fourth of July, panicked when he was unable to feel his legs. Dr. Barnstall explained that the bullet had landed quite close to Curtis's spine and that more diagnostic tests needed to be run. Portia urged her husband to rest and tried to reassure him. Later, she found Curtis's nephew, TJ, in tears after a conversation with Dr. Barnstall. She reentered Curtis's room and her husband declared that he would walk again. Portia sobbed as she informed Curtis that the doctors believed he would not regain the ability to walk.