Susan Lucci tells her story: What her memoir reveals about her fame, love, and loss

Susan Lucci, Emmy-winning actress widely recognized for All My Children, shares her personal journey of fame, love, and loss in her new memoir, La Lucci, released February 3. The soap opera legend, who brought All My Children’s Erica Kane to life, discusses dismissing labels, embracing love, and going through profound grief after the passing of her husband, Helmut Huber, in 2022.

What Did Susan Learn From Her Previous Memoir?

When Lucci released her earlier memoir, All My Life, in 2011, she acknowledged she underestimated the experiences still ahead. “That was indeed not all my life,” she tells Woman’s World. “A lot has happened over the last 15 years!” Since the passing of her husband of over 50 years, Susan has returned to the stage and screen, being present in Joy Behar’s off-Broadway production My First Ex-Husband and Jonah Hill’s forthcoming Apple TV+ comedy Outcome. At 79, she is also open to reprising Erica Kane if an All My Children reboot occurs.

Battling Heart Health Scares

Susan encountered critical health challenges in recent years, which included a near-fatal heart condition in 2022. “I had a near brush with a widow-maker,” she states. “My mom lived to be 104, and I thought I had my mother’s genes. But I wound up with a 90% blockage in a major artery and a 75% blockage in the adjacent artery. It wasn’t cholesterol it turned out to be calcium, and I inherited that from my dad.”

Though popular for her healthy lifestyle, Lucci primarily resisted seeking medical support. “Since then, I’ve been talking about my heart scares and encouraging women to listen to their bodies, and put themselves on their to-do lists which we never do,” she cites. “I tell them what my symptoms were and how women’s heart attack symptoms are sometimes different from men’s. Luckily, I’d heard about that many, many years before, so I always say I had an angel on each shoulder.”

Her advocacy secured her the 2025 Voice of the Mission Award from the American Heart Association. She dedicates two chapters of her memoir to her heart journey and lessons learned, urging readers to prioritize their wellness.

How Did Susan Cope With the Loss of Her Husband?

The passing of Helmut in March 2022 was devastating. Susan remembered feeling “complete hopelessness” and acknowledged she “felt like half a person” in the months following his death. “I couldn’t imagine living without Helmut. I … could … not … imagine … it,” she writes. “I sometimes still wonder, how is it that I am living and he is gone?”

Despite this, Susan discovered a way to go forward: “I also knew I had to make a choice and somehow find the courage to put one foot in front of the other. It was better than lying on the floor in a puddle, completely destroyed.”

A Life of Love and Resilience

Susan and Helmut started dating in 1969, tying the knot on September 13 of that year, and have two children together, Liza and Andreas. Helmut also served as Susan’s manager. Mirroring their life together, a spokesperson stated: “A family man, he was a loyal friend and loved them deeply. Helmut's passing is a tremendous loss for all who knew and loved him. He was an extraordinary husband, father, grandfather, and friend.”

How Does Susan Approach Aging and Personal Growth?

Susan challenges stereotypes in regard to aging: “That it’s all over when you hit a certain age as a woman because it’s absolutely not!” she states. “I’ve never liked the idea of aging gracefully. I always thought I’m going kicking and screaming. I try to live my best life and not give up because I’m a certain age.”

She also urges readers to release societal terms: “But I became a grandmother and turned 60 on the same day, and the reality of those things was fantastic, but the labels hit me hard,” she remembers. “I asked my mom, ‘How did you do it?’ She cited, ‘Well, honey, I just don’t think about it.’ That was so my mom, but also perfect. We have to forget labels and be ourselves.”

Sharing Wisdom Through Memoir

In La Lucci, Susan revisits professional milestones, personal heartbreak, and life lessons. She mirrors the cancellation of All My Children, surviving a miscarriage, embracing faith after loss, and learning to live fully again. “I share incredible experiences in my life that were good, bad and very, very challenging,” she mentions. “I felt alone going through some of these things, so I hope my stories will help others feel not so alone. Maybe my difficult choices can also help others with theirs.”

FAQs:

Q1: Who is Susan Lucci?
A: Susan Lucci is a Daytime Emmy-winning actress widely recognized for playing Erica Kane on All My Children. She has had a career spanning years in television and theater.

Q2: What is La Lucci?
A: La Lucci is Susan Lucci’s new memoir. It details her life experiences, which includes fame, love, and loss