Hollywood and wrestling fans around the world are mourning not just one, but two devastating losses. In a cruel twist of fate, The Bold and the Beautiful actor Jonathan Marks — known to millions for his decade-long role as the complicated yet beloved character Dr. Evan Sterling — has been confirmed dead after the small private plane he was traveling in crashed en route to Florida. His destination: a memorial service for none other than professional wrestling legend Hulk Hogan.
The plane went down just hours before it was scheduled to land. Early reports confirm there were no survivors. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is investigating the cause of the crash, which occurred near Georgia’s swampy southern border. Eyewitnesses described a fiery descent, followed by silence, smoke, and the horrifying realization that hope was gone.
Jonathan Marks, 51, had spoken passionately just days earlier about his deep admiration for Hulk Hogan. In private texts and a voice message shared by a close friend, Marks had said: “I couldn’t miss the chance to honor the man who shaped my childhood. Hogan gave kids like me something to believe in during the tough years. That kind of heroism doesn’t fade.”
But fate had other plans.
Marks was traveling with two crew members and his longtime manager. They had chartered a small aircraft for the flight to Clearwater, Florida, where Hogan’s memorial — planned as a private event for close friends and family — was to be held. The actor had requested privacy ahead of the trip, wanting to grieve and honor his hero away from the cameras and flashing lights. Now, both men — one a legend of the ring, the other a fixture on daytime television — are gone.
Fans are reeling from the double loss. Social media platforms have been flooded with tributes. Co-stars from The Bold and the Beautiful shared heartfelt memories of Marks, remembering him as “the most generous spirit on set” and “the kind of man who made everyone feel seen.” Katherine Lang, who starred alongside him for nearly a decade, posted: “We’ve lost one of the best. Evan Sterling was his role, but Jonathan Marks was the soul. And to know he died while trying to say goodbye to someone who shaped his heart — that’s the kind of loyalty he lived with.”
Wrestling fans were equally shattered. Hulk Hogan, who passed away earlier this week after a prolonged illness, had just begun to receive a wave of tributes from the global wrestling community. The news of Marks’ death only deepened the sense of mourning. “Hogan was my childhood,” one fan wrote, “and Jonathan Marks was my adulthood. Now they’re both gone. It’s too much.”
Behind the spotlight, Marks was known as a quiet philanthropist. He regularly visited children’s hospitals, often dressed in scrubs, using his soap opera persona to bring joy to terminally ill fans. His friends said he often quoted Hogan’s famous phrase — “Say your prayers and eat your vitamins” — to young fans who needed a hero. “He lived what he believed,” one former co-star said. “He wasn’t acting when he played a man who cared.”
Investigators say it will take several weeks to determine the official cause of the crash. Initial data suggests mechanical failure may be to blame, though weather conditions were reported as clear at the time of the incident.
Marks is survived by his wife, Elise, and their two children, Max (12) and Lila (8). In a brief statement, the family asked for privacy and encouraged fans to donate to Hogan’s youth foundation and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) — two causes Jonathan championed.
Two icons — one a larger-than-life wrestler who inspired generations, the other a quiet force on screen and off — are now linked forever by a tragedy that feels too cruel to accept. A farewell that never got to happen. A final goodbye, forever left unsaid.
As tributes continue to pour in, fans are left with memories and unanswered questions. But one thing remains heartbreakingly clear: sometimes, fate doesn’t just take — it takes twice.
