General Hospital's Robyn Bernard turned 'schizophrenic' and spiraled into alcoholism before tragic death
SAN JACINTO, CALIFORNIA: The ‘General Hospital’ star Robyn Bernard reportedly had a rough life last 12 months of her life until she was found dead in an open field on Tuesday, March 12.
Bernard, 64, was homeless when she died and also suffered from alcohol and meth addiction. Her body was found in a field behind a 7/11 gas station in San Jacinto, California, which her friends say is a meeting point for the city’s homeless population.
Although the actress is known for her portrayal of Terry Brock - daughter of one of the villains DL Brock in the '80s show ‘General Hospital’, she has also acted in several short roles throughout her career.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Bernard’s friends painted a tragic picture of the star’s last days as they said “She used to drink a lot and take drugs.”
Friends of Robyn Bernard paint a grim picture
One of Robyn Bernard’s close friends and former neighbor Norma Teyechea, 74, revealed to the news outlet, “She used to drink a lot and take drugs.” Teyecha continued, “I’m surprised she made it this far to be honest with you. She would drink neat vodka – it will get you in the end.”
Bernard’s friend further revealed that the actress used to tell stories about her experience in Hollywood. Teyechea added, “She used to talk about Hollywood – she said she was abused in Hollywood a lot, and that just destroyed her pretty much from what I heard.”
Bernard was the daughter of Texan televangelist Jerry Wayne Bernard and his wife Gaylon, a teacher. She was the eldest of Jerry Wayne’s four daughters. Bernard’s other sister Crystal has been a successful actress herself after starring in ‘Happy Days’ and ‘Wings’.
Bernard too had a promising career as she started working in Hollywood. After appearing in ‘General Hospital’ for six years, she left in 1990. She went on to act in several French movies, including the Oscar-nominated 1986-hit movie, ‘Betty Blue’. She last appeared in the direct-to-video adaptation of the drama ‘Voices From The High School’ in 2002.
While Robyn Bernard had a promising career, it was marred by her long struggle with alcohol addiction. Her friends revealed that she was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia as well.
Her former boyfriend Dan Berlin, 62, shared, “This had been going on a long time. I have happy memories of her. Some. But she was difficult to be around.”
Bernard left Hollywood’s glitz and glamour in 2014 to relocate to San Jacinto, around 85 miles east of Los Angeles. She resided in a trailer park for senior citizens and tried to rebuild her life. She also became a part of the community and made new friends.
Teyechea shared, “She loved to sing,” before adding, “She was a good singer. We used to go to karaoke together.”
Another friend of Bernard, Margot Nichols, added, “She was something else. She was a sweetheart. But what can you say?”
Nichols too shared, “She had addictions and then if you're schizophrenic and you don't take your medication…”
While she was rebuilding her life in San Jacinto, tragedy struck and her trailer home burned down in 2015. She not only lost all her possessions but her seven pet cats died in the conflagration with the eighth cat dying four days later.
According to Teyechea, during the same time, her relationship with her family also deteriorated. Needless to say, she was distraught beyond words. Berlin’s brother, Robert, 61, shared, “She stayed in the park here with different people for quite a while after that happened.”
He continued, “But our old management that we had here, when she'd come in, they'd run her off. She was some kind of pariah really. It was sad. And it used to make me really upset.”
She later relocated to her final home in a small trailer in a community called Parkview Estates, facilitated by Riverside County’s Adult Protective Services Department. Her addictions, however, continued to grow.
Robyn Bernard’s history of arrests
Following her relocation to the Parkview Estates, Bernard’s addiction spiraled out of control and she was arrested multiple times for drinking. In November 2017, she was booked for the first time for driving under the influence and being under the influence of drugs in public.
She was arrested in April 2018 for being under the influence of drugs for the second time. In October 2018, February and May 2019, she was booked for being intoxicated and stealing shopping carts.
She used the shopping carts to move her little possessions around as Joni Woods, 66, another neighbor shared, “I used to see her around town all the time pushing her shopping carts. She always had four or five of them, and I always felt so bad for her.”
Woods continued, “She was pretty weathered. She'd been in the sun a lot, and she always had four or five shopping carts full of stuff that she took with her everywhere she went.”
Teyechea shared that Bernard used to but large bottles of vodka from RiteAid and would drink it daily.
Though she tried to sober up, her attempts remained unsuccessful. Berlin shared that he last saw his former girlfriend two years ago when she had just given up on herself.
“At that point she had just let herself go,” said Berlin, before adding, “She was out there, talking to herself in a nonsense way. She was a schizophrenic.”
Richard continued, “I don't know if it was the drugs or the alcohol that did it, but she was pretty mentally unwell – she used to say that Hollywood screwed her over.”
“They did her dirty and that's why she ended up living in San Jacinto of all places,” concluded her friend.
Fans mourn Robyn Bernard's tragic death
As the news of Robyn Bernard's death broke, online readers commented mourned her sudden death.
One of the heartbroken fans wrote, "Paranoid schizophrenia is one of the most serious mental illnesses, the alcohol was her self-medication. Sad..."
Someone else commented, "Addiction is ruthless and there's no 'forever cure'. Just the guarantees of alienation from family, friends, job, health, havoc, death and destruction, until it finally takes it's toll. God Bless the one's who find their way to recovery & for the souls of the lost."
"RIP. That is sad her life turned out that way. If I remember correctly she had a pretty singing voice," mourned another fan who remembered her for her melodious voice.
"Welcome to the American dream everyone," said another disenchanted social media user.
"She lost the only family she had; her cats. so awful & sad RIP," observed someone else.
Another netizen remarked, "How terribly sad. Heartbreaking and a waste of a beautiful and talented life."
"I hope she is at peace now. a sad end," remarked another fan.
This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.
