Guiding Light actor Renuald White dies at 80 in hospice care as tributes pour in for 'groundbreaker'

Guiding Light 's Renuald White died at age 80.

Fashion designer Jeffrey Banks confirmed the news on Saturday, according to WWD . Jeffrey said Renuald "was a groundbreaker. There were very few Black models at the time. He really broke barriers. When they had a party for him in Newark for his 50-year anniversary in the fashion industry, he was very proud of the progress and how he opened the doors for other people."

He was in hospice care at Lenox Hill Hospital in Manhattan before his death on Wednesday, but the official cause of death is not officially known. The soap star 's funeral will be held on July 12 at 11 a.m. EST at the Whigham Funeral Home in his hometown of Newark, N.J.

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Renauld was a trailblazer on TV and in fashion. He broke into the fashion industry in the 1960s. Jeffrey reflected on Renauld's legacy, remembering the model's gigs like in the 1969 Look magazine and a fashion show for Ralph Lauren at the 21 Club.

He was the second Black model to appear on the cover of GQ, a historic feat in Nov. 1979. Renauld said in a 2011 interview, according to WWD: "I wanted to bring about change. I really confronted the establishment about why there were not more Black male images. At first, I thought I was going to get thrown in jail and beaten up because of my approach. But then they realized that they were wrong and that they were behind society and behind the times, and that they had to listen to me."

The star also modeled in shows for major designers like Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Donna Karan. Additionally, he appeared in an ad campaign for Dolce & Gabbana, a brief break from his retirement.

In addition to his powerful modeling career, the star also graced the small screen during daytime television. Renauld spent two years on the popular soap opera Guiding Light, playing William Reynolds. During that time, he stepped back briefly from modeling, hoping to make a full transition into the new field of entertainment.

"Modeling is only a bridge. What are you going to do after modeling is over?" Renauld said, reported WWD. "I had a 30-plus-year career. They don’t make those anymore. I encourage them to do amazing things. Take the money, go to school, open up a business, be an entrepreneur and be self-reliant."