It only takes one little thing to turn someone’s day around. Luckily for Eva LaRue, 53, that thing was her sister Lara Larue Rutherford, who provided the former soap star some much needed happiness days after her ex-husband John Callahan died on Saturday, March 28. Eva posted a throwback photo of her and Lara cozied up while sharing a sweet memory that took place earlier this week. “Happyyyy Birthday my Gorgeous Sisteroooo! This photo from the good ol’ days when we could be cheek to cheek. Today however, 8 ft apart in the fire pit in the yard, provided the first laughs (daughter) Kaya and I have had in a week. It helped lift our weight. Thank you for always sharing your Love and Light my sweet Sis! A Birthantine we won’t soon forget.”
John, who was one of the most beloved stars from the ABC soap opera All My Children, passed at the age of 66 after he suffered from a massive stroke at his home in Palm Desert, California. He and Eva were married from 1996 to 2005. She gave birth to their daughter Kaya in December 2001. “May Flights of Angels Wing You to Your Rest my Dear Friend. Your bigger than life, gregarious personality will leave a hole in our hearts forever,” Eva wrote in her own Instagram post that included a pictorial of many moments shared by the family-of-three.
Other AMC family members have since spoken about John on social media. Kelly Ripa, 49, who was part of the show from 1990-2002, shared a touching tribute to him on her Instagram hours after his death was announced. “Because there are no words, all I can muster is Rest In Peace #johncallahan. My heart breaks for you @evalarue and @kaya_callahan.”
Sarah Michelle Gellar, 42, who played Susan Lucci’s daughter on the Emmy-winning series, also shared a heartbreaking dedication to him. “Get past the horrible eyebrows on me and you will notice the incredibly handsome man, standing beside, me at my high school graduation,” she wrote next to a photo of them together in the early 90’s. “That’s #JohnCallahan or better know to me as GP (but why I called him that remains between us and those closest to him). He stepped into a lot of moments in my life because I didn’t have a father to be there.”