The Young and Restless star Andrea Evans dead at 66 years of age

The world of daytime television mourns the loss of one of its brightest stars, Andrea Evans, who has sadly passed away at the age of 66. 

Her former manager, Don Carroll, confirmed that the acclaimed actress succumbed to cancer on Sunday. Her current manager, Nick Leicht, also expressed his sadness over her passing.

"I've been working with Andrea for the past seven years. She was such a tremendous talent and an absolute joy to work with," he told People.

Andrea, a prominent figure in daytime drama, is best remembered for her unforgettable portrayal of troubled teenager Tina Lord on One Life to Live and later as Patty Williams on The Young and the Restless. 

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Her performance as Tina earned her a Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Ingenue in a Drama Series in 1988.

Frank Valentini, former executive producer of One Life to Live and current EP of General Hospital, took to Twitter to pay homage to the late star. 

He wrote: "I am so sorry to learn of Andrea Evans’ passing. Andrea was already a huge star when my career began at OLTL." He added. 

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"She was always kind, gracious, and so fun to work with. A daytime legend who will be missed very much. My sympathies to her friends and family."

Andrea's performance as Vivian Price in the web series DeVanity earned her another Daytime Emmy nomination in 2015 for Outstanding Performer in a New Approaches Drama Series. 

Beyond daytime drama, Andrea had a variety of other notable television roles, such as Rebecca Hotchkiss on Passions and Patty Walker on The Bay. 

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She also made appearances in films and TV movies, including A Low Down Dirty Shame, Ice Cream Man, and Hit List. Andrea left One Life to Live in the 1990s for a career break and kept a low profile for many years. 

She revealed to the outlet in 2008 that a haunting experience with a stalker influenced her decision to step back from the spotlight. “It’s forever changed me,” she admitted. “There’s no way it could not.” 

That same year, the beloved actress reprised her role as Tina with a guest appearance on One Life to Live.

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Her return was a highly anticipated event, as Executive Producer Valentini revealed to TV Guide in 2008 that fans had been yearning for her comeback for years. 

"Even though Andrea has not appeared on OLTL since 1990, she has remained among the most requested characters to return to the show," he expressed. 

"I welcome her home to OLTL and to the role where she made an indelible mark on our audience."

Andrea is survived by her husband, Stephen Rodriguez, whom she married in 1998, and their daughter, Kylie. She was previously married to her One Life to Live co-star Wayne Massey from 1981 to 1983.