The Young and the Restless delivered a shocker in the July 3, 2025, episode with Cole Howard‘s death. For those unaware of what happened to Cole in Y&R, he was battling Legionnaires’ disease. As his treatment failed to work, Cole took his last breath surrounded by his loved ones in the latest episode.

Many fans expressed their sadness at losing Cole in the show.

Fans react to the death of J. Eddie Peck’s Cole Howard in The Young and the Restless

Cole Howard made his exit in the recent episode of The Young and the Restless. There were signs about his eventual demise since the time he returned for his most recent stint, but some hoped that he would at least survive. However, this was not the case.

J. Eddie Peck, the actor behind Cole, took to his Instagram handle to announce his character’s departure and thank fans for their support over the years.

In an emotional post, Peck wrote, “Just a quick shout out as Cole takes his last breath on the show today — and with that, this chapter of my journey on The Young and the Restless comes to a close.” He added, “I want to thank all of you — my fans, friends, and Y&R family — for welcoming me back with such incredible warmth and support. Your messages, posts and enthusiasm made this return deeply meaningful for me.”

This post became a ground for fans to mourn the loss of the beloved character and talk about Peck’s contribution to the series.

“You’ll be missed. We all enjoyed watching you, and Cole is such a good character. A truly good man who was good for Victoria. She certainly deserves better. I wish you could have stayed. Best wishes from me and I’m sure I speak for all the fans too,” one user wrote.

“You were one of the highlights on the show,” another user added. “I was so hoping for a happy ending for Cole & Victoria. I’m sad you no longer will be on Y&R. You will be missed,” yet another fan added.

It is quite clear that Cole’s death has resonated deeply with the fans of The Young and the Restless. Hopefully, J. Eddie Peck will continue to amaze fans in other roles in the future.