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Who Was Stone Cates on GENERAL HOSPITAL?

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Mentions of Stone Cates on GENERAL HOSPITAL have some newer viewers wondering who this character was and how he connected to the people of Port Charles. And perhaps some longtime fans might want a refresher. Well, that’s where we come in! The character first appeared back in June 1993 and was played by Michael Sutton until Stone’s heartbreaking death in 1995. However, the actor has made brief visits from beyond the grave, the first in 2010 and then again in 2017. Here’s everything you need to know…

Michael “Stone” Cates was the younger brother of John “Jagger” Cates, and first appeared at a party when he helped Karen Wexler after someone slipped something into her drink. But Karen was stripping at Sonny Corinthos’ club, and the mobster started seeing her and got her hooked on drugs. After reconnecting with his little brother, Jagger became a cop, married Karen, and they left town. Stone lived with Sonny, who considered him a member of the family.

Stone began dating Robin Scorpio, much to the displeasure of her uncle, Mac Scorpio, who didn’t think he was good enough for her. After Stone told Robin he had been tested and was HIV-negative, the couple made love for the first time. But when Stone fell ill again, he got tested once more and learned he was HIV-positive. When Stone got shot, his blood got on Robin and he panicked and took off. She found him in the motel where they had made love, and he confessed that he had contracted HIV from a former girlfriend who was a drug addict.

GH Stone Robin
Robin and Stone’s love story had a tragic ending.Craig Sjodin/ABC

Alan Quartermaine ran new tests and while Robin’s came back negative for HIV, Stone now had full-blown AIDS. Alan started the young man on drug therapy, and while Mac was initially furious, he came to care for Stone and even saved his life when he had a seizure. Sadly, when Robin was tested again, she learned she was now HIV-positive.

As his condition worsened, Robin cared for Stone at Sonny’s penthouse, and just before the end, his eyesight was failing. But he asked Robin to stand by the window and he was able to see her one last time in the light before he died. Sonny, Brenda Barrett, and Robin had Stone cremated and threw his ashes over the bridge where he had gone bungee jumping as part of his bucket list.

GH Robin and Stone - ABC/Getty
Robin was visited by Stone’s spirit in her moment of need.Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for DATG

A year after Stone’s death, Sonny lost his wife, Lily, and donated her inheritance to General Hospital to open the Stone Cates Memorial AIDS Wing. He also named his son Morgan Stone Corinthos after Jason Morgan and Stone. Jagger also had a son who he named Stone.

In 2010, Robin was kidnapped by Dr. Lisa Niles and held in a well where a vision of Stone appeared to her urging her to fight for her life and never give up. Then, in 2017, Sonny had a vision of Stone after he was attacked and left for dead, inspiring him to also not give in and survive. In 2024, Jagger returned to Port Charles as an FBI agent, and as he clashed with Sonny, Stone’s name was brought up as they argued about the past.

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