Jens Austin Astrup has persevered through a lot of struggle in his young life.

General Hospital‘s Jens Austin Astrup recently joined Maurice Benard on his mental health series State of Mind for an emotional sit-down interview. The young actor opened up about his heartbreaking family history, his father’s tragic death, and the challenges he and his sister faced growing up.

Jens Astrup Shares His Father’s Struggles

Astrup (Kai) revealed that when he was just 15 years old, his father died by suicide.

He told Benard, “He was depressed for sure. I think it was a culmination of a lot of things. I think he had a lot of regret. I think he felt a lot of guilt. Life was getting too hard (for him). I think even money was too hard for him. We really struggled growing up, we struggled pretty severely.”

One memory stood out vividly for Astrup. As a boy, he desperately wanted a new pair of tennis shoes, but his father initially couldn’t afford them. A week later, however, his dad surprised him with the shoes. Sadly, soon after, Astrup tore them during a biking accident. When he confessed, his father became very upset. Astrup recalled that this emotional exchange happened only about two weeks before his dad took his life.

Shortly before his death, Astrup’s father reconnected with a high school friend on Facebook Messenger and expressed regret over getting angry with his son about the shoes—a sign of how much financial strain and emotional pain he had been carrying.

A Rocky Family Journey

Astrup also opened up about his parents’ difficult marriage. His mother and father divorced about a year and a half before his father’s death, and the relationship had been turbulent for some time. After his father passed away, Astrup’s mother became homeless, leaving him and his sister to move in with their great aunt and uncle, who took them in as their own.

The struggles didn’t end there. Astrup revealed that his sister faced years of drug addiction, incarceration, and mental health battles. However, he shared with pride that the two have since reconnected and rebuilt their bond.

Rising Above Pain

Despite such a painful past, Astrup has turned his life into one of resilience and success. Benard praised the young actor during the interview, noting how polished, professional, and positive he has become. Astrup’s honesty and strength left viewers with deep admiration for the GH star.

You can watch Astrup’s full interview with Benard on State of Mind below.