What Happened to Heather on GENERAL HOSPITAL
Heather Webber isn’t on GENERAL HOSPITAL regularly, so it’s understandable if some newer fans of the soap might need a refresher on the character. And for the longtime viewers who just want to relive her wild and crazy life, we’ve got you covered, too! The role of Heather was originated back in 1976 by Georganne LaPiere, but she left after a year. Mary O’Brien took over for a couple of years, and then in 1980, Robin Mattson joined the cast of GH to make the role her own and continued playing the character on and off for decades. Heather hadn’t been seen since October 2016, but in October 2022, returned to the canvas, this time played by Alley Mills (Pam, THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL), who has continued to make the occasional appearance ever since!
Heather Grant came to Port Charles and fell in love with Monica’s husband, Jeff Webber. After spending the night with him, she got pregnant, but because he wouldn’t leave his wife, Heather opted to sell the baby to nurse Diana Taylor. After she told Jeff she’d lost their baby, he married her and she began working as the nanny for the Taylors’ son, who was really hers. Heather got pregnant again, but when she lost that child, she decided to get her son back. But her attempt to drive Diana crazy backfired when Heather accidentally drank the LSD herself and was committed to a sanitarium!
Although Heather was eventually released, she faked hysteria to get herself recommitted so she would have an alibi when she killed Diana and framed Jeff’s new lover, Anne Logan, for the crime. But in the end, it was revealed that Heather didn’t actually kill Diana after all, it was her mother, Alice. For a while, her therapy with Dr. Seymour Katz was going well, but then she arranged for another of his patients to shoot the shrink! (Thankfully, he survived…)
Heather did much better with her next doctor, Gail Baldwin, who was convinced that she was cured. After Joe Kelly found her in bed with Scotty Baldwin, Heather left him for the attorney and the scheme team plotted to use her cousin, Susan Moore, to steal a fortune from the Quartermaines. Heather even tricked Susan into giving her permission to raise her son, Jason, if anything happened to her. But their plan fell apart and after Susan was murdered, Heather failed to get custody of Jason, so she left town to be with her son, Steven Lars.
Heather returned in 2004 claiming she wanted to reconnect with her family, but she actually seduced her way into the Quartermaine family by convincing Edward Quartermaine to marry her! Unfortunately, he gave away his fortune to be with her, so Heather and Tracy had him committed. Luke Spencer exposed Heather’s scheme and tricked her into confessing that she’d murdered policeman Ross Duncan and framed Skye for the killing! Ultimately, Heather was locked up in Ferncliff Sanitarium for her crimes.
In 2012, Sam Morgan visited Heather looking for information on the serial killer Franco, who was obsessed with Jason Morgan, and the inmate revealed that Franco is actually Jason’s fraternal twin brother! Heather convinced her son, Steve, that she’d changed and he helped her get released, but when Steve was arrested for murder, she killed Maggie Wurth and made it look like a suicide..
Not only did Heather tamper with the paternity test results to make Sam believe that Franco, not Jason, was the father of her child, she also switched Téa Delgado’s stillborn baby with Sam’s! After kidnapping Luke and trying to kill Anna Devane, Heather tried to steal Téa’s (really Sam’s) baby for herself, but after a tense standoff was injured and lapsed into a coma.
After waking up, Heather escaped Ferncliff and tried to kidnap Jason and Sam’s son again. She also attempted to kill Olivia Falconeri but ended up stabbing Steve. After turning herself in, Heather was visited by Franco and she revealed that he’s really her son with Scott. But after she tried to kill his then-girlfriend, Carly Benson, Franco stabbed her and believed her dead. She survived, though, and after trying to kill Carly again, shot her son. Although locked up once more, Heather sneaked out to drug Bobbie Spencer and Lucas Jones so people wouldn’t think that Franco was the hospital serial killer. She also revealed that she knew Elizabeth Webber and Hayden Barnes were actually sisters!
Heather was locked up in D’Archam Asylum and hadn’t been seen on screen since 2016. However, in 2021, serial killer Ryan Chamberlain received a letter from a Heather W, who claimed to be his biggest fan. And in 2022, she was on the short list of obvious suspects when Liz was haunted by memories of Franco.
In October 2022, Olivia was horrified to encounter two guards escorting a manacled Heather to the hospital! Finn examined her and revealed that she had somehow contracted a flesh-eating disease usually found in the tropics. After her treatment, Heather was shipped back to prison along with Anna, but when the van crashed as part of an attempt to help Anna break out, Heather took advantage of the opportunity and took off herself! She made her way to Kelly’s to enjoy her favorite BLT, and a nervous Cameron Webber waited on her while also calling for help. When Dante Falconeri arrived, he managed to convince Heather to return to prison peacefully.
Heather got herself transferred to Spring Ridge where she sneaked into Ryan’s room to reminisce about their past and he accused her of breaking his heart and leaving with his unborn child, who grew up to become Esme Prince. He also questioned Heather about his necklace featuring mementos from his victims that she had stolen from him, suspecting she was The Hook. Heather avoided his questions and also avoided being returned to Darcham Asylum by offering to help keep an eye on Ryan for the cops. Spring Ridge was easier for her to slip out of so she could avenge Esme as The Hook. However, she ended up shot after attempting to kill Josslyn Jacks and ultimately murdering Britt Westbourne instead.
When Esme wound up in Spring Ridge, Heather grew protective of her daughter, who had no idea who she was because she was suffering from amnesia. Heather and Ryan then teamed up to break out of Spring Ridge and take Esme and their grandchild with them. They made their way to Wyndemere where Heather whipped out her hook again to attack Austin Holt! After Esme ran off into the woods, Ryan gave chase and Heather offered Ava her gun so she could take revenge on Ryan, who was behind everything Esme did to destroy her life. The cops arrived and took Heather away before Esme gave birth, but she promised to cooperate with the cops in exchange for a visit with her daughter and grandchild. Although when Esme refused to let Heather near her, Heather vowed revenge on Laura for turning her daughter against her!
In July, Esme paid her mother a visit in Pentonville to learn more about her past. Heather explained why she’d abandoned her as a child and also hinted that Esme had been responsible for the death of her adoptive parents. Heather insisted that they were alike, and she accepted Esme for who she was no matter what. And when Esme returned for another visit in December, Heather was delighted to realize that she’d regained her memories and she was meeting her real daughter for the first time. She also advised Esme not to let on to anyone else she was back to herself.
Heather had another visit in January when Esme was desperate for help after Spencer gave Ace to Nikolas. She begged her daughter to just go and hide until they could go after Ace together, and when Esme refused to wait, begged her not to do anything stupid! Unfortunately, she didn’t listen, and Heather was heartbroken when Esme was presumed dead after she and Spencer went overboard in France.
Brought to the hospital, Heather attempted to escape, and wanted to see her grandson, Ace, but was recaptured. Doctors eventually diagnosed her with cobalt poisoning, brought on by her faulty hip replacement. In addition to the physical symptoms, it can cause mental problems, and Heather began to wonder with Laura if this was the cause of her psychotic spiraling.
Stay tuned to see what happens next!
