As tributes to continue to pour in about the late, great Anthony Geary, one thing becomes clearer and clearer: He was as good a guy as he was great an actor. Take, for instance, the fond memories that Greg Vaughan has of his General Hospital castmate.

“There are people who fill a room by demanding attention,” the Emmy winner began his Instagram post. “And then there are people like Tony — who never asked for it yet held it effortlessly.

 

 

“For nearly seven years, I had the privilege of standing beside him on General Hospital, portraying his son, Lucky… and if anyone was Lucky,” he added, “it was me!”

Though Geary’s brilliance was widely acknowledged — he won a record eight Outstanding Lead Actor Emmys — he didn’t much care about the hoopla. “What I came to understand quickly was that Tony wasn’t interested in being celebrated,” Vaughan said, “he was interested in being present. Present in the work. Present with his fellow actors. Present in the quiet moments that mattered far more than applause.

 

 

“When I first joined the show, months later we found ourselves in New York for the Emmys,” continued the actor, who went on to Days of Our Lives (as Eric) and now Beyond the Gates (as Kial). “Tony took me under his wing without fanfare, without hierarchy — just generosity. Sitting front row at Radio City Music Hall with him wasn’t about the ceremony. It was about being beside someone who carried himself with humility, curiosity and kindness, even in moments meant to shine a light on him.”

Particularly special to Vaughan was a tape day at General Hospital in which Lucky was significantly worse for wear. “One of my most treasured memories is a scene where my character lay on life support. Tony leaned in, called me ‘Cowboy’ and softly sang ‘Don’t Fence Me In.’ It was simple. Tender. And unforgettable. He had me welling up while I was trying to be still. That was Tony — never pushing, never performing for effect, just telling the truth of the moment.”

Vaughan went on to say that Geary “taught me that greatness doesn’t announce itself. It listens. It gives. It lifts others quietly. His impact on my life — personally and professionally — didn’t come from lessons spoken out loud but from how he showed up every day with love and a smile.

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“I am deeply grateful for the time, the trust and the humanity he shared with me,” he concluded. “Tony, thank you for the work, the love, the laughter, the guidance — and for reminding me that the most meaningful legacies are carried softly. You will always be with me. R.I.P.”