Marc Blucas, son-in-law of late model Dayle Haddon, once spoke passionately about renovating the Pennsylvania home where Haddon would later die at age 76 of suspected carbon monoxide poisoning.

In a resurfaced 2016 interview with the Hallmark Channel, the actor – who is married to Dayle’s daughter Ryan Haddon – spoke at length about the house, revealing that he and his wife, 53, bought the property in part to be “closer to family.” to be”. .”

“It’s pretty amazing,” Blucas, 52, said of the house, which was built in 1711. “And it’s a way to express my creativity when I’m not filming and working.”

He then shared that his love for DIY projects and old structures was one of the main reasons for moving to the East Coast. “I think like most DIYers, you like working with your hands, you know? (And) it is the only part of the United States that has such architecture with old barns and old stone houses. So I know these will be projects for life.”

Blucas, best known for his role as Riley Finn in Season 4 of the cult series Buffy the Vampire Slayeralso wrote about his passion project in a detailed 2021 Instagram post. At that time, he said he had gotten his contractor’s license and was working on other properties.

“When we moved to Pennsylvania ten years ago, my wife took a huge leap of faith… by allowing me to pursue a dream and find a historic property to restore for our growing family,” he wrote in the post’s caption . “That’s a really nice way of saying I wanted to buy a s——- and live in it. A place that I could reimagine. One that would require patience, love and effort to turn into a finished product.

He continued: “And while I’m not sure that will ever be an achievable outcome with a 310-year-old farmhouse, along the way we have created something magical and hopefully taught our children the value of hard work, preserving our historic buildings and of satisfaction.” This includes learning new things and doing them yourself.”

Dayle, a former actress and supermodel, was found dead in a second-floor bedroom of the home in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, on Friday, December 27, after emergency responders were called to the home, according to an official police report.

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Authorities also discovered that 76-year-old Walter Blucas was unconscious on the first floor of the home. He was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey, where he is currently receiving treatment.

“The investigation indicates that the carbon monoxide leak was due to a defective flue and exhaust pipe from a gas heater,” said a Dec. 28 update to the same police report. “This tragic incident is a stark reminder of the importance of carbon monoxide safety precautions in our homes.”

A representative for Blucas did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Saturday, December 28.

Blucas married Ryan in 2012. The couple has two daughters together, and Ryan also has two children with her ex-husband Christian Slater.