“Days of Our Lives” star Drake Hogestyn died Saturday following a battle with pancreatic cancer. The actor passed away at age 70, just one day before his 71st birthday.
Hogestyn, best known for his long-running role as John Black on the hit soap opera for 38 years, put up an “unbelievable fight” and “passed away peacefully, ” his family announced in a statement on the show’s Instagram account.
“It’s with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Drake Hogestyn. He was thrown the curve ball of his life when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but he faced the challenge with incredible strength and determination. After putting up an unbelievable fight, he passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones.”
“He was the most amazing husband, father, papa, and actor. He loved performing for the Days audience and sharing the stage with the greatest cast, crew, and production team in the business. We love him and we will miss him all the Days of our Lives,” the Hogestyn family wrote.
Hogestyn, born 1953 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, appeared in nearly 4,300 episodes of NBC’s long-running daytime drama and became one of the show’s most popular characters. His character was introduced on the show as John Black in 1986, Black was revealed to be Marlena Evans’ husband who died earlier in the show. After plastic surgery and amnesia, he reappeared as a new man and befriended Evans. Hogestyn and Deirdre Hall, who played Evans, were married on the show and “one of the biggest super-couples in soap opera history” according to a news release by the show.
Hogestyn had a brief hiatus on the show in 2009 before returning in 2011. His other works include “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” guest starring in “Criminal Minds” and holiday movie “Christmas Tree Lane.”
Hogestyn’s co-stars paid tribute to the actor through social media. Kristian Alfonso, who left the show in 2020 after 37 years, shared a compilation of images with Hogestyn and wrote on Instagram “My heart….. I’ll always remember you as a Loving, Loving father, husband and Dear friend but mostly an incredible , passionate human being, generous and immensely kind, Always …… Thank youuuu for the love you gave us all everyday Drake on set and off you were always our hero . Love you … Rest in Peace my sweet friend.”
Alison Sweeney, who played Sami Brandy on the show, remembered Hogestyn as an “incredible man.”
“Drake was an incredible man. He was funny, generous and thoughtful. He cared about every single scene, every person. He loved Days, the fans, and shared that passion with everyone on set. My heart breaks for his family, they meant everything to him. He was such a huge part of my life at Days. I will miss him terribly and treasure every story, every joke & every hug,” Sweeney wrote on X.
Hogestyn’s on-screen son played by Christopher Sean expressed his love for the late star and called him a “true hero.”
“I will always love you. You were more than just my tv father, in my eyes you were my dad,” Sean wrote via X. “Thank you for everything you taught me and the love you gave me. The world lost a true Hero. Miss and love you so much Drake. Rest in Peace Dad.”
His TV daughter, Martha Madison, shared on Instagram that Hogestyn “loved diving into our father/daughter dynamics, and there was no place I could go in a scene where he wasn’t exactly right there with me,” she wrote in part. “Drake was full of enthusiasm and humor and aways told the most amazing stories. He loved being an actor and always showed grace and gratitude when it came to his work and his fans. He loved his family deeply and was over the moon to be a Grandfather. I’m sending my deepest sympathies to his family and to all of the cast, crew and fans who have loved him for decades.”
Hogestyn is survived by his wife Victoria Ann Post, their four children, Rachael, Alexandra, Whitney and Ben, and grandchildren.