Fans are mourning the heartbreaking news that former All My Children actor Paul Avery, along with his wife, Sheila, has died. They died in a devastating house fire in New Jersey.
According to reports, the fire broke out shortly before 1 a.m. at the couple’s home in Blairstown, New Jersey. Emergency crews rushed to the scene and managed to pull both Paul and Sheila from the burning house, but despite desperate efforts to save them, the couple later died from their injuries, per NBC.
Paul and Sheila were found unconscious and treated with CPR. Sadly, both died shortly after being rescued from the home. Paul Avery, who was best known for playing bartender Hughie on the hit soap opera All My Children, spent more than a decade in the role and became a familiar face to daytime television fans.
Beyond acting, Avery lived an extraordinary life. A Vietnam War veteran, he enjoyed skydiving and flying, and later founded the community newspaper Ridge View Echo, where he remained active for years. The heartbreaking news was confirmed by the couple’s daughter, Kyle Avery, who shared an emotional tribute.
“I’m devastated to share that our parents, Paul and Sheila Garry Avery, passed away early this morning,” she wrote on Facebook. “We loved them so much, and they loved us so much, and nobody ever had to wonder if that was so.”
‘All My Children’ star Paul Avery & wife Sheila dead in house fire
Friends and colleagues have remembered Avery as someone who touched countless lives.
“I always like to call Paul the most interesting man in the world,” longtime friend Joe Phalon wrote. “Acting, skydiving, Vietnam veteran, started a newspaper. His death is going to leave a real void in this community.”
Paul and Sheila had been married for more than four decades. In recent years, the actor devoted much of his time to caring for his wife following the stroke she suffered in 2018. Authorities are still investigating the cause of the blaze.
Besides his beloved role in All My Children, Paul Avery, who was 81 at the time of his death, also starred in Christopher Reeve’s first Superman movie and made television appearances in series such as Three’s Company and Tales From the Darkside.
Our thoughts are with Paul and Sheila’s family and friends during this difficult time.
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