Last December, the cast and crew of General Hospital were heartbroken to lose the show's longtime hair and makeup artist Donna Messina to cancer, and now the multiple Emmy Award winner is being celebrated in a special way.
GH executive producer Frank Valentini has unveiled a new bench sitting just outside the ABC soap's set with a plaque dedicated to her memory, reports Soaps In Depth. The location of the bench is where Messina would go to enjoy fresh air and sunshine during her breaks.
Messina, who joined GH in the 1980s and eventually became head of the hair and makeup department, was a very special part of the GH family and was remembered by several of the show's stars upon her passing.
Wrote Maurice Benard (Sonny Corinthos) when he heard the news of her death: "Sometimes you meet someone in life you just connect with and then unfortunately life just takes that person away, and no matter how much your heart breaks you want to remember the good times. My best friend, my sister, Donna used to hate taking pictures. I used to have to grab her and hold her. And we would and laugh and laugh. I will never forget this memory and I will never forget what you meant in my life."
Shared Risa Dorken (Amy Driscoll): "So sad to hear of the passing of Donna Messina. I have so many wonderful memories laughing with her. I hold her words close to my heart. Thinking of her family, and everyone who loved her so deeply."
So sad to hear of the passing of Donna Messina. I have so many wonderful memories laughing with her. I hold her words close to my heart. Thinking of her family, and everyone who loved her so deeply.✨ #GH
— Risa Dorken (@RisaDorken) December 7, 2018
Stars of the ABC soap opera have also been honoring Messina off of social media, as well. Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) and Jane Elliot (ex-Tracy Quartermaine) have joined other stars in creating a GoFundMe page that is raising money for the college education of the late makeup artist's three sons, Nick, Vito, and Antonio.
"The GH family would like to honor our beloved Donna through this GoFundMe page," the campaign states. "Her love for us was immeasurable, as ours is for her."
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