It was shortly after Sheridan Crane was presumed dead in a boating explosion that she was rescued by a fisherman named Brian O'Leary. Brian lived on the island of St. Lisa's, often doing odd jobs for the resort owner, Liz, an old friend as well as an old lover. He found himself instantly drawn to the woman, even when she was still unconscious. Brian, Liz, and Doc tried to find anyone who may be looking for her without much success. When the woman awoke, knowing nothing about her identity but believing her name was Diana, Brian helped her get back into the swing of things, even helping her get a job at Liz's hotel where he ended up doing the job for her because she didn't know how. As time went on, Diana began to fall in love with Brian as well, and the two began planning a future together.

It wasn't long before flashbacks and talks with Diana revealed the secret Brian had hidden for so long; he was really Antonio Lopez-Fitzgerald, the missing and presumed dead son of Pilar and Martin, and the brother of the true love Diana believed was dead. He had been just a child when Martin had left Harmony, and after spending years raising his younger brothers and sister, had been forced to leave town by the Cranes shortly after Luis graduated high school for reasons unknown. When Nick Bozman, an con artist Brian had worked with before going straight, showed up, his interference nearly killed both Brian and Diana. After surviving a deadly car accident, Brian and Diana decided to go to Harmony so that he could introduce the woman he had asked to marry him to his entire family before a mysterious illness took his life.

Shortly after returning to Harmony, Brian returned to his given name of Antonio, and wound up in the hospital with a mysterious illness. His friends and family rallied around him, convinced at any minute that he would die. Antonio and Diana, whom he soon realized was really Sheridan Crane, began planning their lives together, but plans for weddings and elopments were constantly placed on hold by hospital stays, fainting spells, and even the occasional bout with blindness. Antonio offered Sheridan her freedom numerous times, but she continued to avow her love to him. Antonio was pleased not only that he and Sheridan were getting married, but also that Luis was engaged to marry Beth, his childhood sweetheart.

Antonio and Sheridan eventually wed, although Luis and Beth's wedding that same day did not go off as planned because her mother had (faked) a heart attack. Not long after their wedding, though, Antonio (who was blind again) missed his medication because Sheridan had taken responsibility for giving it to him and she wasn't there. This put Antonio into a coma, and only a risky procedure could save his life, but the same procedure could also end it. The decision was made to treat Antonio, and he awoke just in time to learn that Sheridan was pregnant. Antonio was overjoyed to learn that he would soon be a father, and soon threw himself into pampering Sheridan and trying to help plan Luis's wedding to Beth, who also turned up pregnant.

When Sheridan suddenly disappeared, Antonio had no idea what had happened with his wife. Knowing she was under a lot of stress, he initially accepted the reports that she had taken off to get some rest and relaxation, but soon began to believe she had been kidnapped. Antonio was frantic to get to his wife and child, and when they finally rescued Sheridan he was overjoyed, even though they hadn't found the baby. Unfortunately, Antonio was devastated that same night when he overheard a conversation between Luis and Sheridan, and realized that they were more than simply friends. Despite having overheard what he did, though, he believed that whatever they had was over, because the Sheridan he knew was not the type to marry one man while loving another.

Unable to figure out what was going on with Sheridan and unable to comfort her after the loss of their son, Antonio allowed Alistair to convince him to commit Sheridan to the mental hospital, believing Alistair's claims that Luis was taking advantage of Sheridan's current state. Antonio believed Alistair when he said Sheridan needed time to heal, and to allow her to make her own decisions without Luis controlling her. Antonio wanted what was best for Sheridan which is why he agreed, but once he realized what Alistair was planning, he and Luis joined forces to try to free Sheridan.