One Life to Live’s Erika Slezak Pays a Heartfelt Tribute to a Brilliant Castmate Gone Too Soon
It seems like we just couldn’t get out of 2023 without one more, heartbreaking loss. When Kamar de los Reyes died on Christmas Eve, it shattered the hearts of the daytime community, especially those who worked with him over his 14 years as One Life to Live‘s Antonio Vega.
His friends and co-stars have been sharing tributes and memories, and now, One Life to Live‘s own Viki Buchanan, Erika Slezak has shared a message with Soaps In Depth as she grieves. For a time, Antonio and Viki were more than just fellow Llanview residents, they were also family when he and Jessica married.
Plus, Antonio inadvertently shooting Ben managed to shock Viki back into control after alter Niki Smith had taken over once again. Their lives intersected more than folks might realize and Slezak was there to watch de los Reyes grow from a soap opera newbie to one of daytime’s greats.
“I was truly saddened to hear about Kamar,” the actress shared with Soaps In Depth. “We always got along very well. He was a very nice man and talented actor who took his craft seriously.”
She then added that her heart goes out to wife Sherri Saum (who met de los Reyes when she played One Life to Live‘s Keri to his Antonio) and their kids, “so tragic to die so young.”
Our hearts and thoughts are with Saum and their family, as well as Slezak and all those who knew and loved de los Reyes. One Life to Live would never have been the same without him. While we’re heartbroken he’s gone, we’ll forever be grateful that he shared his talent with us all those years.
