Fans of the long-running soap opera Days Of Our Lives are in mourning after the death of Drake Hogestyn. The talented actor died on Saturday, one day before his 71st birthday, following a battle with pancreatic cancer.

Hogestyn Passes Away

“It’s with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Drake Hogestyn,” Hogestyn’s family said in a statement. “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,” they continued. “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.”

Days of Our Lives executive producer Ken Corday also addressed Hogestyn’s passing.

“This is a very difficult one for all of us,” Corday told People Magazine. “Hogey was the ultimate team player and there are not sufficient words to express how deeply he will be missed. His impact on our show, personally and professionally, was profound and will forever remain unmatched.”

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Hogestyn’s History

Born in Indiana in 1953, Hogestyn got his start as a baseball player. He even signed with the New York Yankees, playing for one of their farm teams until he was injured in 1977. Hogestyn then got bitten by the acting bug, with his first major role coming in the early 1980s in the CBS series Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. 

Hogestyn’s big break came when he joined Days Of Our Lives in 1986 as the mysterious character known as “The Pawn.” From there, he started playing the fan favorite John Black.

Hogestyn’s character of John had several popular love interests throughout his time on the soap opera. Arguably the most popular one was Marlena Evans, played by Deidre Hall. He and Hall even won a Soap Opera Digest Award for Favorite Couple in 2005.

Find out more about Hogestyn’s death in the video below.

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Tributes For Hogestyn

Hogestyn played John on 4,290 episodes of Days Of Our Lives. He portrayed the character right up until his death. Hogestyn’s Days Of Our Lives co-stars have been honoring him on social media since news of his death broke.

“Drake was an incredible man,” Alison Sweeney wrote on Instagram. “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.”

“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,” added Kristian Alfonso in another Instagram post.

In his personal life, Hogestyn married his childhood sweetheart Victoria Post in 1986. They had four children together: daughters Whitney, Alexandra and Rachael, and son, Ben. They additionally have seven grandchildren.

Please join us in saying a prayer for Hogestyn’s family and friends during this difficult time.

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