What To Know
- Paul Avery, known for All My Children, and his wife Sheila died in a house fire at their New Jersey home.
- The cause of the blaze remains under investigation, and their daughter Kyle Avery confirmed their passing.
- Beyond acting, Paul was a Vietnam veteran, journalist, and community figure whose loss is deeply felt by family and friends.
Paul Avery, an actor best known for his role on the ABC soap opera All My Children, and his wife Sheila Avery have died in a house fire in New Jersey. Paul was 81.
According to Leigh Valley Live, New Jersey State Police and Blairstown Fire Department responded to a blaze at the couple’s home on Mohican Road shortly after 12:38 am on Tuesday, June 16. Paul and Sheila were trapped inside when rescuers arrived on the scene.
Firefighters made their way inside the property and discovered the couple in critical condition. Paul and Sheila were unconscious and treated with CPR, per the outlet, but both died shortly after from their injuries.
The fire was officially declared under control at 1:03 a.m. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.
Paul and Sheila’s daughter, Kyle Avery, confirmed the passing on her Facebook page on Tuesday evening. “I’m devastated to share that our parents, Paul and Sheila Garry Avery, passed away early this morning,” she wrote. “We loved them so much, and they loved us so much, and nobody ever had to wonder if that was so.”
She added, “We’re grateful to the Blairstown Fire Department for their efforts. Service plans to follow.”
Paul’s on-screen career began in the 1970s, making his debut in the 1972 film Stanley. In 1979, he appeared as a TV cameraman in Superman. From there, he’d go on to feature in several television shows, including Three’s Company, ABC Weekend Specials, Soap, and Tales From the Darkside.
His most memorable role came in the 1980s, when he landed a part on All My Children as Hughie, a bartender at Foxy’s. According to SoapOperaDigest, Paul played the recurring role for 12 years.
Away from acting, Paul also worked as a journalist, serving as executive editor of the Ridge View Echo, per WFMZ. Joe Phalon, an employee at the Ridge View Echo, remembered Paul as “the most interesting man in the world.”
“I got a call saying what happened, and I just couldn’t believe it,” Phalon told WFMZ. “I always like to call Paul the most interesting man in the world, because he was when you consider everything he’s done in his life. Acting, skydiving, Vietnam veteran, started a newspaper.”
“His death is going to leave a real void in this community,” he added. “Not just Blairstown, but the towns around as well. I think we’ll really miss him, and I think it’s going to become more apparent over time.”
Paul and Sheila are survived by their daughters, Parker and Kyle, and a son, Paul, and other family members.