Losing a loved one is tough, and what is even tougher is celebrating events without their presence. Painful reminders of losing someone who was close to you like birthdays or anniversaries can really take a toll.
However, actress Susan Lucci decided to celebrate the life of her late husband on what would’ve been his 85th birthday. Instead of spending the day grieving, she made it one of celebration.
Susan Lucci, who is famed for her role on the daytime soap opera, All My Children lost her husband earlier this year. Her late husband, Helmut Huber passed away in March 2022 at the age of 84 years old.
“Helmut’s passing is a tremendous loss for all who knew and loved him. He was an extraordinary husband, father, grandfather, and friend. The family kindly asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult time,” Lucci’s publicist, Jessica Sciacchitano, said.
Instead of mourning her loss on what would have been his 85th birthday, she decided to do something different. Lucci, born in Scarsdale, New York, took to her Instagram account to celebrate her late husband’s life.
She posted a picture of her bent over a mini cake with a candle, the caption for the picture read, “Happy 10/10 Birthday, Sweetheart. Birthday breakfast surrounded by our loving friends. Making a wish for you.”
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She spend 50 years of her life married to her late husband Helmut Huber. The couple had a whirlwind romance and married in 1969 just after 3 weeks of dating.
Huber, who was born on October 10, 1937, in Innsbruck, Austria, and formerly raced motorcycles in his home country, met Lucci, 75, while they were working at Long Island’s Garden City Hotel where Huber was the hotel’s executive chef.
The couple married on September 13, 1969. It was Huber’s second marriage. They have two children: actress Liza Huber, who is best known for her role as Gwen Hotchkiss on the daytime soap opera Passions, and a son, Andreas Huber.
They had a professional relationship apart from a personal one. Huber was also her manager as well as the CEO of Pine Valley Productions and SL Enterprises. Huber was also an esteemed chef.
A representative of the family said Huber was “a family man, he was a loyal friend, and loved them deeply.”
While Susan Lucci had been surrounded by her friends and family on the occasion, which was sweet of them so as to not leave her alone. Other friends and family commented on the picture as well.
Actress Christy Brinkley wrote a comment saying, “Im happy you are surrounded by your loving friends sweet lady. I remember how your dashing husband looked at you and your sparkling beauty with so much love in his eyes.”
It is clear that the actress misses her late husband, but instead of mourning his loss, she chooses to celebrate his life. This is not the first time she has publicly honored her late husband. At the 49th Daytime Emmy Awards, she made sure to honor him as well.
Heart attacks and surgery
Lucci was just 23 years old when she landed the role of her life in All My Children. She starred as Erica Kane for 41 years and only left after ABC decided to cancel the iconic series in 2011.
”It’s been a fantastic journey. I’ve loved playing Erica Kane and working with Agnes Nixon and all the incredible people involved with All My Children. I’m looking forward to all kinds of new and exciting opportunities,” she said.
But the years after the series turned out differently than she had planned. Although Susan had several other roles and continued to work as an actress, something happened in 2018 that affected her life very strongly.
“I was actually shopping for a girlfriend’s birthday present in a boutique, not far from where I live… [and began] having some discomforting feelings… it felt like an elephant pressing on my chest,” Lucci told Healthline.
At 71, she found herself undergoing heart surgery after suffering from two blocked cardiac arteries. Luckily, everything turned out fine then.
But while talking to Good Morning America in February, the Soap Opera star revealed that she had another emergency heart procedure 3 years after her first health scare.
”I was having kind of a shortness of breath,” said Lucci and continued:
”I thought, this is crazy, these are the same kind of symptoms that I had three years ago, but it can’t be.”
Once again, Susan was rushed to the hospital, where doctors saw an 80% blockage in one of her arteries because of plaque buildup. The doctors decided to put in a stent to open the blockage.
After all this, Susan now has an important message for others:
“Listen to your heart and act on [the symptoms. Give yourself permission to take good care of yourself. Be your own best friend. Be your own advocate. You’ll save your life,” Lucci told GMA.
She looks glamorous but underneath it all, she has had her fair share of struggles! Susan Lucci is an inspiration to everyone for moving forward in life even while grieving.
Share this piece with others so they can be inspired by her story too!
