Stone Cates | |||||||||
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General Hospital character | |||||||||
Portrayed by | Michael Sutton | ||||||||
Duration |
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First appearance | July 23, 1993 | ||||||||
Last appearance | September 29, 2010 | ||||||||
Created by | Claire Labine | ||||||||
Introduced by | Wendy Riche | ||||||||
Book appearances | Robin's Diary | ||||||||
Classification | Former; guest | ||||||||
Profile | |||||||||
Occupation | Waiter | ||||||||
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Parents |
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Brothers | Jagger Cates |
Sisters | Gina Cates |
Nephews | Stone Cates |
Michael "Stone" Cates is a fictional character on the ABC soap opera, General Hospital. Michael Sutton portrayed him from 1993 to 1995 and returned for a guest appearance from September 28 through September 29, 2010. The character died of AIDS-related illness in 1995 at age 19. Sutton was nominated for a 1996 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for the role.
Stone and his sister Gina Williams were raised by their older brother Jagger Cates after their parents abandoned them. Jagger wasn't able to take care of them and they became separated and entered the foster parent rut. Stone met Karen Wexler at a party. Someone slipped something into her drink and Stone helped her. Stone did not know that she was dating his older brother Jagger. Karen felt she wasn't good enough for Jagger so she ended their relationship. Stone was living with Sonny Corinthos. Sonny was seeing Karen and got her hooked on drugs. Jagger found his little brother at his girlfriend Krystal's grave site and they began to build a relationship. Jagger became a cop and became engaged to Karen. Jagger saved his brother when he was supposed to drive the get away car to break Frank Smith out of prison. Jagger had a motorcycle accident but recovered and married Karen. Stone started to date Robin Scorpio. The pair fell deeply in love. Mac Scorpio, Robin's uncle, proved to be a big obstacle in their relationship as he did not approve of his niece dating a street kid. He came down with the flu and Robin took care of him. He told her that he had been tested for HIV and they made love for the first time. They used protection at first, but eventually they stopped; this was a decision that would change Robin's life forever. Stone had the flu for a while and decided to get tested for HIV again. The test came back positive. He did not know how to tell Robin. Stone was shot and his blood got on Robin. He ran away from her. She found him in the same motel where they made love. Stone told Robin that he was HIV positive. Dr. Alan Quartermaine ordered that they both be tested. Stone's test revealed that he now had AIDS. Robin's test came back negative. Alan started Stone on drug therapy. Mac Scorpio, Robin's uncle was furious when he found out, but he cared for Stone and even saved his life during a seizure, and later bonded with the kid. Robin later tested positive for HIV. Towards the end of his life, Stone was cared for by Robin and Sonny Corinthos at Sonny's penthouse. Stone's eyesight started to fail due to CMV retinitis worsened by his illness. Right before he died he was able to focus on Robin and see her for one last time. His last word were, "I see you...Oh, Robin, I see you." Stone was like a brother to Sonny and Sonny took his death very hard. Brenda Barrett took his death hard as well, and the two comforted each other. Sonny, Brenda, and Robin had Stone cremated and threw his ashes over a bridge where he had gone bungee jumping to fulfill one of the wishes on his "wish list", which he made once he knew he would not live many more months.