"We are giving it due diligence," assures Head Writer Charles Pratt, Jr.  On December 18, Erica phones Zach with the news that Myrtle has passed away, and many current Pine Valley residents, along with two former ones, will gather to commemorate her life on December 19. The episode, promises Pratt, features "some of the best looks back on the highlights of her long and illustrious career on the show.  I doubt there will be a dry eye in the house, nor should there be," he adds.  "Especially with some of our younger characters, like Zach, who had special relationships with her, each taking time for Myrtle, [who] will have sent them all or given them all something, knowing that she was going to pass.  It will bring the past to the forefront, including even Opal with her crystal ball being able to look back into the earliest days of the show.  I think it is a wonder romp down memory lane."

In addition to Zach, Opal and Erica, Bianca, Angie, Jesse, Greenlee, Ryan and Amanda will be central to the memorial.  Agnes Nixon, AMC's creator, will reprise the role of Pine Valley founding figure Aggie for the show (Aggie appeared on AMC's 10,000th episode in November) and Francesca James's Kelly Tyler will also return to honor her late friend.  James, a former AMC executive, played two roles on the show, the now-deceased Kitty (Myrtle's surrogate daughter) and Kitty's twin, Kelly, who lived in the boardinghouse with Myrtle.  "Eileen played my mother on AMC and became one of my dearest friends in life," said James, shortly after Herlie's passing.

Thorsten Kaye (Zach), who was also close to the portrayer of his character's confidante, and met with Pratt about properly commemorating the loss of Herlie, says, "She was so lucky to have Francesca.  Francesca was there for that woman [the whole time she was ill], and hats off to her.  [Herlie] grabbed people's hearts -- and she loved life all the way to the end.