Riley Mitchell

Riley Mitchell is fictional character on the soap opera, Life of Today. He portrayed by Rae'Kwon Youmans, who is also the head writer. Youmans describes the character "Thrillful, smart, and respectful." He, along with Aldrich, are consider the shows icons, due to their non-villainous role, and the most-featured prominent storylines.

Casting
Rae'Kwon Youmans was hired to portray Riley Mitchell. Youmans was intended to appear with the soap on a recurring status, however, the producers decided to make him a full time regular character. Youmans stated in an interview: "I love coming to work every day, seeing friends and people, I love working with." Youmans sign a new contract in 1996 to let him continue his portrayal for unspecific amount of time.

Characterization
Youmans describes his character: "Thrillful, smart, and respectful.", you know the "typical type of guy you can trust." Youmans states despite Liam being the older brother, Riley is consider the family's patriarch, the guy you always rely on. In 1994, Youmans originally consider the character just a "helping hand" but when 1995 the character was more "involved" rather than a "looker". Many fans describes the character "the guy you always can trust" and "you just gotta love"

Riley and Sierra's relationship
Riley and Sierra were a couple prior the show open in October 1993. While in college, Riley and Sierra fell in love and quickly became engage, but shortly called things off, due to them feeling to young. Sierra and Riley went their separate ways, but unknown to Riley she gives birth to twins (one was adopted).

In October 1995, Sierra and her family resurfaced in town. Sierra tells Riley about his son (Raymond Mitchell) and tells she came back for him to know the truth. Sierra plans to leave town, but decides to stay in town to raise her son with Riley together. After time raising Raymond, the two decides to reconcile their relationship to become important parents to Raymond. Their second son (Shane Mitchell) was discover in August 1996 and live together as a happily family. After nearly a year of dating, in October 1996, couple decides to quickly get married at the Town's Hall in front of family and friends.

Riley's other son
In July/August 1996, while on the plane with his current wife, Sierra Taylor, their plane crashes onto an unknown island. Riley and Sierra has remain on the island starving and tired and Sierra thinks should tell Riley a past secret, if something happens to her. Sierra tells Riley that their son (Raymond Mitchell), is a twin, this shocks Riley and asks her why she never told him, she states she couldn't afford to raise two children as single mother so she gave on up to be placed in a good home. Riley and Sierra are rescue from island (after write HELP! on the island's sand) and they return to Canon City to begin the search for their son. The clues leads them back to Canon City in a foster care, where they decide to reclaim their son. They succeed and his name is Shane Mitchell and Riley and Sierra begin their happy future together

Backstory
Riley was born to Victor Mitchell and Madeline Mitchell on July 7, with his fraternal twin sister, Nina Mitchell. He also shares other siblings, his older brother, Liam Mitchell, his older sister Katie Mitchell, his twin sister Nina Mitchell, and his younger brother, John Mitchell.

Riley was very lonesome as a child and a teenager, he was often pick in middle school due to his obesity. Before high school began, Riley lost weight, and his high school years turn out great, during the 11th grade he develop a eating disorder and quickly recover from it. He went to college and earn his degree as a detective and a doctor, along with his sister.

Prior to 1993, Riley had met a young woman named Sierra Taylor, whom he fell in love with, they were engage, but they called things off, because they felt they were too young. Unknown to Riley, Sierra bears him a son named Raymond Mitchell, however, this is not discover until 1995, when Sierra returns to town.

1993-94
In 1993 when series open, Riley discover that his sister, Nina (Alaina Aldrich), was pregnant with their sister's, Katie (DeAria Phoenix), then-husband Scott Winters. Riley urge her to tell the truth, but Nina says "no." Riley develops another eating disorder throughout the year and is later hospitalized, he recovers in August 1994. Graham Sandlers, a priest, comes to town in October. Riley talks to Graham about his past problems to help him cope with the present.

1995-96
In early 1995, his younger brother John Mitchell, has mysterious attacks, the Mitchells siblings tries to figure out who is behind the attacks. Riley eventually digs deeper and traces all the evidence against the Edwards brothers Calvin Edwards and DJ Edwards, Riley is kidnapped by them after confronting them. The Mitchell searches for a missing Riley, but when Katie goes alone, she too is kidnapped. The Edwards brother has a doppelganger (look-a-like) sister, named Jan Edwards, who looks like Katie Mitchell, she takes Katie's place, and the Mitchell family thinks, she's being weird. Nina figures everything out, so the family follows fake Katie and finds Riley and Katie trapped in a cabin across from town. The Edwards siblings are arrested.

In October 1995, Riley's old flame, Sierra Taylor, comes to town with her siblings, Sierra reveals to him that they have a son together named Raymond Mitchell. Sierra wish she had told Riley sooner, but they eventually raised him together and develop feelings for each other and form a relationship. Riley's old friend Eddie Malone, returns to town and Riley decides to hired him as an assistant. During January 1996, Riley went missing and his sister, Katie finds him on a island outside the U.S., they return home eventually. In March 1996, Riley and Sierra return home from a dinner, only to find their apartment burned down, forced them to start over, but they stay with Nina for a while. Riley is soon enmeshed with Canon City Stalker, in April 1996, he drives to work and he can't stop due to his brakes being missing and he crashes in a car, but later hospitalized. He wakes up, with memory loss, remember only from 1993 and prior. After many attempts with his memory, he remembers when he goes a hypnosis.

In May 1996, Riley tries to track down Nina and Hailey, after they were kidnapped by The Canon City Stalker. The next month, he gathers both families to go through clues and figure out who is the stalker. Katie figures out that Riley assistant, Eddie Malone, is the stalker. They all tracked down Nina, Hailey, and baby Jasmine at an abandon circus. With Eddie being discover, everyone jumps in their car and chases him off the cliff and presuming he is dead. A month later, Riley and Sierra plans to have a vacation overseas, but their plane crashes on a island during the summer and Sierra tells they have another son. The two are rescue in August and search for their son (Shane Mitchell) and discovers him in a foster care. They re-adopt him and begin their happily life together. In October 1996, they get married at the Town Hall, after nearly a year of dating.