All My Children

David Canary’s Daughter Raises Question If Repeated Head Traumas From His Football Past Contributed To AMC Star’s Condition Before His Death

January 14, 2019

Photo: ABC

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive degenerative brain disease that is now widely known to be the outcome of repeated head traumas, concussions and more for many NFL athletes, Pro Wrestlers, hockey players and more It has caused mental illness, severe behavioral changes and more in younger athletes to even old-timers, many who suffer unaware what is happening to them. Some athletes who have committed suicide have been later to have been diagnosed with CTE when their brains were donated to research.

Kate Canary, the daughter of All My Children’s beloved and late, David Canary (Adam/Stuart Chandler), is a contributing writer to the New York Daily News, and she wrote a heartfelt, and thought-provoking article, on just what happened to this icon, who died in 2015 at the age of 77 with his formal diagnosis being Alzheimer’s disease.

However, David’s earlier football past as a high school and college football player could very well been the reason why he suffered so many years before, and as Kate related here in these excerpts: “But this diagnosis came after years of suffering with Dad’s cognitive decline, and arguably decades of signs. Without exposing the most excruciating details of a disease that could extinguish the most vibrant of men, I can confess that his case was anything but typical. We lost him in fits and starts, over and over, for roughly seven years leading up to his final breath. Begrudgingly, we learned to lie to him — ‘entering his world,’ as my brother Chris so delicately deemed it — to skirt the contradictory truths that would trigger his outbursts, which left physical scars on objects, on himself, and on others. We knew many families who had faced Alzheimer’s, yet we were the only ones uttering the comparison ‘Jekyll and Hyde. Those closest to Dad witnessed firsthand the erratic, delusional and at times explosive episodes that characterized his particular case, which we tried attributing to an overactive imagination in a broken brain. But as more information emerges about CTE and the nature of its symptoms — the violent mood swings, the lapses in judgment, the hours-long hallucinations, the paranoid delusions — we are left with more questions than answers, more regret than relief.”

Kate goes on to state the facts that David Canary suffered at least four major concussions as a lineman in his high school and college football playing days between the ages of 16 and 22, (she also relates that those are the ones he remembered). She also notes the multi-Daytime Emmy winning star has experienced cognitive difficulties decades before his Alzheimer’s diagnosis, and that there was no genetic lineage that the family knew of that would you would often find with Alzheimer’s patients. She also noted that David’s volatility was unusual for a patient suffering from this disease, which leads us all back to CTE.

In the end a loving daughter asks the questions, “Did football kill my father?” Kate was on the verge of looking into a way to donate David’s brain to science, but sadly he passed away eight weeks later in November of 2015.

The upshot is that when mothers and fathers allow their kids to play football or other-related sports at an early age were concussions are a possibly or involved, think again, you could be changing the course of their lives forever.

So, what did you think of what Kate shared about David Canary’s mental health and condition? It would seem CTE could have been the root cause of what befell this giant of a man in the daytime soap world. Share your thoughts via the comment section below.

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nancy dillingham

So sad! A great actor who seemed like a gentle man.

Iakovos

Real life is always such a fascinating story. I hate to think Mr. Canary and his family suffered so in his final years. Serious issues like this affect many families. Seems fitting a daytime drama might address such in a story line one day. Bless you Ms. Canary for sharing your personal truth with us. I am sure you comforted some, informed others, and hopefully woke up those who have the power and ability to do something about this.

Jimh

When one of the Three Stooges died it was believed to have been caused by being hit in the head over the years from their constant head hitting in their sketches…injuries of any kind to the head should always being taken seriously as they are the most dangerous…i believe its possible that those injuries DC suffered contributed later to his medical problems/death!!!

Llanviewer717

Such a very sad story. I could tell he wasn’t well during the online AMC. He was seated during most of his scenes and had little dialogue. When he did speak, you could tell he was putting maximum effort into his lines. Alzheimer’s is such a devastating disease. My mother died of it many years ago. (I doubt she ever played football.) Perhaps it’s time to reconsider violent sports.

Thank you David Canary for sharing your marvelous talent with us. Rest in peace.

sheila nies

I know my dad had Alzheimer’s, it was awful he also was a diabetic 2 times the people over dsed him on his insulin once they took him to the hospital the other time they didn’t. I think to many people get it and at times he wouldn’t remember who we were . Other times he did . i wish there was a cure for cancer and Alzheimers. i think they are both awful i hope i don’t get Alzheimers . My memory is already bad and has been bad a long time lose everything for things forget peoples names .

Cat

My mom died from Alzheimer’s disease with no family history of it anywhere. She too suffered a terrible head trauma from a bad fall that left her unconscious and with blood loss and a scar that ran the length of the front hairline. I’d read of the head trauma connection after she passed and have always wondered if that head injury lead ultimately to her demise.

All My Children

WATCH: All My Children Reunion On Strahan & Sara

February 11, 2019

On Monday’s episode of ABC’s Strahan & Sara, the show welcomed several stars of the beloved All My Children for a reunion, of sorts. Joining hosts Michael Strahan and Sara Haines were Susan Lucci (Erica), Walt Willey (Jack), Cady McClain (Dixie), Jacob Young (JR) and Jill Larson (Opal).

While it was wonderful to see the stars from Pine Valley again, it was also a painful reminder that this network, ABC, canceled the show, and had put in its place – The Chew, and now Strahan & Sara – since canning the series. In fact, as you will see on the clips below, many of the crew who work on this talk show were once the crew for All My Children.

During the segment, Susan Lucci was tested to see if she remembered all of Erica Kane’s wedded names. Later, Walt Willey and Susan re-created the final scene of the ABC version of All My Children between Erica and Jack, where Jack walks out on her. However, this time, they have Jack changing his mind and coming back to Erica and sealing their relationship with a kiss – a moment of closure that never happened (since the show moved to online via Prospect Park).

In addition, Cady McClain and Jacob Young re-created the infamous Dixie “dying from eating poison pancakes” scene, as JR watches his mother die, only this time she lives.

It’s always great to see these veteran performers, but Strahan & Sara is trying to capture the soap viewers to put eyeballs on their show by bringing in talent from the show that sadly and wrongly went off the air.

Watch the clips below from the All My Children reunion below. Then, let us know what you thought of it via the comment section below.

All My Children

Soap Alums On Parade At ABC TCA Winter Press Tour: Photo Gallery

February 8, 2019

This week at the annual ABC TCA (Television Critics Association) Winter Press Tour, the network introduced members of the media to some of the new shows that will be rolled out in the coming months on both ABC and Freeform. Many notables, who started on the soaps, are in the casts of some of the more exciting new offerings.

In addition, several soap graduates, who are currently appearing on the network in major primetime series were also in attendance promoting the ABC line-up of programming.

Look no further than the photo gallery below to see: Bryan Craig, Denye Tonzts, Eric Winter, Sam Page, Eva Longoria, Jason George, Rome Flynn, and a host of others as they step out and pose for some photos.

So, are you excited to see GH alums, Bryan Craig (ex-Morgan), in his new role as Javi on Grand Hotel? Hayley Erin (Ex-Kiki) in her new role on Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists? Check out the gallery, and let us know via the comment section.

The EP of the upcoming "Grand Hotel" and former Y&R star, the one and only, Eva Longoria.

GH fans are excited to see the former Morgan Corinthos in his new role on "Grand Hotel".

She was killed-off as Kiki on GH, but she is all set to star in Freeform's "PPL: The Perfectionists".

You loving Gabriel Maddox on HTGWM? Yup, that's because it's Rome Flynn, the former Zende of B&B.

DAYS original Rex Brady, now on "The Rookie", Eric Winter!

Ex-GH's Bryan Craig and former AMC reboot star, Denyse Tontz (Ex-Miranda) play brother & sister on "Grand Hotel".

Lincoln Younes will play the on-screen love interest of ex-AMC's Denyse Tontz on "Grand Hotel".

"The Bold Type's" Sam Page, was once a resident of Pine Valley on All My Children.

Conrad Ricamora takes to the press line representing, "How To Get Away with Murder".

Former soap alum, Jason George has certainly made a name for himself in many a primetime TV role.

Can this season's 'The Bachelor" be any soapier? Colton Underwood's drama to find true love has certainly been ... entertaining?

All My Children

All My Children Reunion Coming Up On ABC’s Strahan & Sara

February 6, 2019

Some of your all-time favorites from Pine Valley are getting together to appear on Good Morning America’s re-branded Strahan & Sara ,formerly known as GMA Day.

Make sure to catch the show next Monday, February 11th when hosts Michael Strahan and Sara Haines welcome Susan Lucci (Ex-Erica), Jacob Young (Ex-JR), Cady McClain (Ex-Dixie), Walt Willey (Ex-Jack),and Jill Larson (Ex-Opal). And, you never know who else might pop up and join this group.

Strahan and Sara airs on ABC at 1PMEST/12PMCST weekdays.

Courtesy/ABC

Are you missing Pine Valley? Here’s a chance to see some of these enduring stars together again. Most recently, Home & Family back in February of 201,7 held an on-screen reunion for many notables from the series following the passing of its legendary creator, Agnes Nixon.

Will you be checking out Strahan & Sara next week for the segment? Let us know via the comment section below.