Photo Credit: ABC General Hospital’s Nathan Dean opened up about the tragic details of his brother’s death in a new podcast appearance, giving a rare glimpse into his private life. Ahead of his reappearance on General Hospital as Ethan, he appeared on Maurice Benard’s podcast, State of Mind, and engaged in a deep conversation with the host. Nathan Dean talks about his brother’s death and falling into depression General Hospital star Nathan Dean had a serious discussion with Maurice Benard on the latter’s podcast, State of Mind.

Dean, known for his role as Ethan Lovett on the show, spoke about his brother’s death and the impact it had ahead of Thursday’s World Semicolon Day, a mental health awareness day dedicated to suicide prevention. Dean lost his younger brother to suicide. He spoke about the lasting imprint it left on him and how his wife had helped navigate through some of the toughest times of his life.

“He was 28… and he waited two weeks after my mom’s birthday just so he could have a happy birthday with her, and then he drove to Fort Hood and shot himself in the face. There was no lead-up to it,” Dean shared, recalling how mental health struggles can remain completely hidden even inside a family. “I think that’s the biggest problem with mental health.

Until the individual can actually access the problem… It’s just largely unknown,” he added. This loss triggered Dean’s personal struggles, too. Dean found immense help in his wife.

“I’ve been dealing with it since I was 11, 12 years old… There is never a moment that goes by where she doesn’t check in… [by reassuring,] ‘You may not be you today. How do we get back to being you?’ and that is such a blessing… No one should have to take on our mental [bleep]… but they willingly do,” he said. Further, adding on what still keeps him going despite all this, Dean said, “I choose to be the optimist… I choose to believe that there is something that we get to do after this.

There’s no proof… I choose to believe. And that keeps me going.” “I choose to believe that we get to live past this,” he concluded.