Ailing Eric Braeden Shows Rare Pic of Look-Alike Son from Wife of 57 Years Hours after Cancer Reveal

• Eric Braeden revealed his cancer diagnosis.
• The actor had support from his wife and son.
• Braeden also received support from his social media fans.

On April 22, 2023, Eric Braeden took to Facebook Live to share a health update with his fans. He started by revealing that about three and a half months before, he'd had his left knee replaced, and his hip was redone years ago, with nothing to it.

Because of his hip surgery, he thought the knee replacement would be a walk in the park, and the first few days were okay as he still had a spinal block. He could walk with a cane and thought he was in the clear, but after doing squats, the actor felt he'd done damage.

Eric went to his doctor and found out he hadn't injured himself but started feeling the pain of the surgery. He was able to do dance exercises, which were a success, and while he was recuperating, he began having problems with his prostate.

One of his prostate issues was that he had to pee often until he couldn't anymore, and he experienced some of the worst pain ever. A catheter was placed into his bladder, and after a few days, he returned to the doctor, who offered to put a camera in to see what was happening.

Braeden saw a Urologist and had to use a catheter again and, after a test, was told he had cancer. "The Young and the Restless" star had surgery to remove the cancer and another procedure, but a week later, high-grade cancer cells were found.

Once every six weeks, a fluid was put into him to arouse his immune system to attack the cancer cells. The star still exercised but listened to his body as he promised to continue fighting against his diagnosis.

Despite announcing his cancer diagnosis that month, the 82-year-old actor still found the strength and time to share a rare photo of him and his son. Braeden was blessed to be going through his diagnosis with the support of his wife, son, and grandchildren.

Where Eric Met His Wife, His Only Son, and Loving on His Grandchildren

With his wife, Dale Russell Gudegast, Braeden welcomed their only child and son, Christian Gudegast. The German-born actor's son was born on February 9, 1970, in Los Angeles, California, where he was raised.

He spent time sneaking into Westwood movie theaters, and in 1992 he graduated Magna Cum Laude from UCLA Film School. "Shadow Box" was the thesis film that won him the Best Student Film award that year.

He started his career directing rap music videos until his first script, "Black Ocean," was sold in 1993 to Oliver Stone, which launched his screenwriting career. Braeden's son had since been uncredited for production work and rewrites on big studio releases.

Christian was Sigrid Valdis, Bob Crane's nephew and Scott Crane's cousin. He held a black belt in jiujitsu and trained in Muay Thai, but was also married to his wife, Natasha Gudegast, a former Ukrainian model.

In Braeden's book, "I'll Be Damned," he described his son as "the pride of my life." To his credit, Christian was the filmmaker of "Den of Thieves," and in 2022, he was set to direct "Crown Vic," a crime thriller.

Braeden's son, who was 53 in April 2023, welcomed three daughters with his beautiful wife. In December 2018, Natasha showed off two of their three children in a fun Facebook photo where they posed sitting down.

Regarding Christian's mother, Dale was also a former actress. She was born Dale Suzanne Russell on June 21, 1942, in Los Angeles, California, and was known for starring in 2001's "Holiday in The Sun," and has been married to her husband since October 8, 1966.

Dale's sister is the late Valdis, her brother-in-law is Bob, and her nephew is Scott. The former actress met Braeden at Santa Monica College, where she was majoring in art, and he was studying philosophy and economics.

In 1997, Dale was a designer of a pillow business and noted how her husband was the kind of man who'd buy her a wildflower bouquet after taking a jog near their West Los Angeles home. She described the actor as "endearing as no one else can be."

Braeden loved bragging about their grandchildren via social media, where he showed off how they looked and boasted about his oldest granddaughter having equestrian skills. An example was in April 2022, when he shared a Twitter image hugging two of his grandchildren and said he was visiting them.

The fan revealed they'd loved [Eric] Braeden's [Victor] Newman character since his first day in it and wished him many more.

In March 2022, he celebrated International Women's Day by sharing a Facebook photo of his "beautiful, bright granddaughter." He also thanked all the women who'd fought for equal rights and said he was proud of them.

The actor, who was most famous for playing Victor Newman on "The Young and the Restless," received an outpouring of support from his fans about his cancer diagnosis. Many people wished him well.

Eric Receives Fan Support over Cancer Diagnosis

In response to Braeden's cancer diagnosis, fans replied with encouragement on a People magazine post, like the one who said they would be "praying" for him. The person also noted how he was a great actor in the role of Newman.

Someone who believed in the actor said, "He's a fighter and will beat this!" A third person sent Dale's husband their "thoughts and prayers" and believed, like the previous social media user, that Braeden could beat his diagnosis, while someone else wrote:

"Praying for [a] full recovery."

The fan revealed they'd loved Braeden's Newman character since his first day in it and wished him many more. Another follower shared that they were making and sending "many prayers" for the star and noted how he was an incredible actor.

The fan said they enjoyed watching Christian's father on "The Young and The Restless." The person believed Braeden would win against the cancer and sent the celebrity blessings from God.

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