Spend five minutes on the internet, and you’re sure to stumble across a dozen stories that are pure fiction. By now, we all know this. But every once in a while, a rumor is so ridiculous that the individual at the center of it has to raise their hand and say, “Uh, not so fast.”

Such was the case recently for Rick Hearst. The General Hospital vet, who’s been killing it as Ric, was forced to address completely fabricated articles stating that his character was about to fall victim to a fatal heart attack. Needless to say, it isn’t true.

On Instagram, Hearst himself called the “report” simply “complete [horse] shyte.”

The Emmy winner got his start in daytime in the late 1980s as Scotty on Days of Our Lives. Soon after wrapping that gig, he joined Guiding Light as Spaulding heir Alan-Michael.

In 2000, Hearst passed through The Young and the Restless as Matt (the villain General Hospital alum Roger Howarth now plays), then crossed over to Bold & Beautiful as Whip.

Hearst made his first appearance as Sonny’s half brother on General Hospital nearly a quarter of a century ago. Ric was written off in 2009 but returned for a two-year stretch five years later. Hearst has been back in the role since 2024.