General Hospital’s Kirsten Storms Shares a Worrisome Update About Her Status as Maxie

Any way you slice it, it’s been a rough time for General Hospital leading lady Kirsten Storms since she moved to Tennessee to allow for easier coparenting of daughter Harper, 12, with former husband Brandon Barash (ex-Johnny). First, Storms said that her apartment was broken into and her phone, hacked. Now, in the wake of a May report that Barash had gotten a restraining order taken out against her amid fears about her mental state, she’s returned to Instagram with an update.

“I’m sure some of you guys have read the stories online regarding a situation involving something my ex-husband is currently trying to claim,” she began. “Because I did see one story online stating I reported the apartment break-in after he filed something against me in court, I really need to address this entire issue. Not only because the records/evidence will show those stories are completely false (the break-in happened and was reported to the building and Franklin PD before he filed anything in court) but also because it puts my safety in a dangerous position for anyone to try and shift focus away from the fact that there was a person regularly entering my residence while I was out of town for medical appointments in St. Louis.

“You can see from my previous posts that the damage to the lock on my apartment door was extensive and obvious. I took that photo in August of last year — months before Brandon filed anything in court,” she added. “I was also speaking with the people who worked in the leasing office of the building (in person and via email), attempting to get answers on the damage to my door and wanting to know about locating building camera footage. This communication also started the first week of August.”

Storms didn’t go public about the incident at first. “I waited to post about the break-in on my Instagram for a few months,” she noted. “I had already moved out of the building, and honestly, it’s been something that is difficult to accept happened pretty much as soon as I moved out here.

“Choosing to take time off from work (for my own personal reasons) was a ‘leap of faith’ kind of moment for myself. Seeking a ‘quality of life’ kinda thing?”

But the situation has taken a toll, Storms said. “Moving to Tennessee, as a single mom who lives alone 50 percent of the time, with a newly discovered brain aneurysm…  well, I don’t think I need to explain how upsetting this entire situation has been for me. Realizing that not only was my apartment/space/privacy being violated, but this person also gained access to my WiFi and cellphone while in my apartment (the Franklin PD has received evidence on all of this, resulting in an investigation).

“I haven’t been online much because of how the circumstances have been twisted into something that it shouldn’t be. This has been a very serious thing for me to go through,” she continued. “Thank you for the encouraging DMs and good vibes being sent my way. I have no doubt this will be handled in the correct way, and I will feel comfortable remaining in Tennessee.”

Whether Storms remains in Port Charles is another question entirely. “As for what is in my future, where General Hospital is concerned… Given what’s been going on, I can’t say I will feel comfortable heading back to Los Angeles and returning to work,” she said. “This has been an eye-opening experience about the downside of my profession.

“My daughter is my entire life,” she concluded. “She is (and always will be) my first priority.”

Previously, the role of Maxie has been recast with Jen Lilley (ex-Theresa, Days of Our Lives) and Nicole Paggi.