Soap star Nathaniel Marston dies at 40

Actor Nathaniel Marston, known for his role on the soap One Life to Live, died Wednesday night at age 40. His mother, Elizabeth Jackson, confirmed the news of his death on her Facebook page.

"Dear family and friends, it is with a heavy heart that I share this devastating news," she wrote. "My beloved and cherished son, Nathaniel Marston, who was putting up the good fight until last night was not able to continue due to the traumatic and devastating nature of his injuries. Nathaniel passed away peacefully as I held him in my arms."

Marston died after sustaining serious injuries in an Oct. 30 single car crash near Reno, Nev. He was placed on life support after breaking his shoulder, ribs and five vertabrae in the crash.

"His injuries, which (doctors) did their best to heal were not responding to treatment and one after another his bodily functions failed to support his life," Jackson explained in her post. "Had Nathaniel lived he would have required a ventilator and would never have been able to utter one more word and would have been sentenced to life as a quadriplegic. A condition that Nate would have never have been able to tolerate. By God's love and mercy Nathaniel was spared this living hell."

In addition to playing Michael McBain on One Life to Live, Marston had guest-starring roles in such shows as Blue Bloods, Castle and Law and Order: SVU. He was last seen in the 2011 movie Walk a Mile in My Pradas. 

"The outpouring of your love came as an unexpected gift and I don't know how I will repay you for all of your love, prayers and support," his mother wrote to end her Facebook message. "Thank you for sharing your love, your experiences with me about how my treasured child, a man who grew into an individual who touched more lives than I ever could have known."