CBS staple The Young and the Restless (Y&R) will honor actor Kristoff St. John with a future storyline, Deadline reports. St. John, who died Sunday,  was best known for his longtime role on the series as Neil Winters. The story, expected to begin in April, will pay tribute to both his character and the man himself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv8Vca14zFI

The actor joined Y&R in 1991. Winters’ love story with Drucilla, played by Victoria Rowell, soon became a fan favorite. Rowell released a heartfelt statement on the passing of her former co-star, saying he was determined to preserve the “African-American legacy on the show."

“Kristoff was a joy. He lived for the day. He loved working in film, prime time and starring on The Young and the Restless. He cared about preserving the African American legacy on the show and not being pigeon-holed into a Black storyline. Obviously, we coveted the Black family on Y&R, but we also coveted that we were crossovers. Proud we pulled in a huge audience, and a huge Black, female audience.

https://twitter.com/MorganJerkins/status/1092437132663234561

"We understood the gravity of what we were responsible for and he took that very seriously.  I shall forever cherish our private and professional time together. Now, is a time for reflection, to mourn his departure and celebrate his brilliance, permanently imprinted on my memory.”