'The Young and the Restless' pays emotional tribute to late actor Kristoff St. John

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Young and Restless actor Kristoff St. John found dead at home

Young and Restless actor Kristoff St. John was found dead at his San Fernando Valley home on Sunday. The soap actor was 52-years-old.

"The Young and the Restless" on Monday celebrated late actor Kristoff St. John and his iconic character Neil Winters in an emotional tribute episode.

St. John, who played the popular father figure on the long-running CBS soap opera since 1991, died in early February at age 52 of hypertrophic heart disease, according to an autopsy report obtained by Fox News.

The news was devastating to family, friends and fans who called St. John "revolutionary" for helping cement the prominence of major African-American characters in the traditionally white soap opera world.

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NEW YORK CITY - MAY 26: Actor Kristoff St. John, mother Maria and his wife Mia attend the 20th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards on May 26, 1993 at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in New York City. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage)

To pay tribute to St. John's decades-long work on the show, the soap aired a four-episode story arc last week, with characters gathering in fictional Genoa City to remember the businessman whose full life included complicated relationships and a battle with alcoholism.

Stars of "The Young & the Restless" past and present gathered on set to reminisce about their friend and relive some of his most memorable moments on the show.

Victoria Rowell, whose character, Drucilla, was married to Neil, praised St. John as an "anchor" for the other actors.

"He was just beautiful," Rowell said, according to USA Today. "Kristoff had that kind of joy and smile from his childhood. It never left him."

"Without Kristoff, we would not have, I think, had the legacy that was built," she added.

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Shemar Moore, who portrayed Neil's brother, Malcolm, said he received "unconditional love" and support from St. John.

“He carried me,” Moore said, according to People. “He embraced me. I always looked up to him. The stronger I got, the prouder he got. When I went up there and tried to fly, he was so proud of me. He carried me. Now he’s gone but I’m going to keep on carrying him. I’m going to keep trying to make him proud for the rest of my life.”

The moving tribute concluded with a previously taped clip of St. John saying, “Thank you for sharing in this adventure, this mighty ship that has sailed for so long. I love you.”