Days of our Lives icon Drake Hogestyn passes away at age 70

Days of our Lives legend Drake Hogestyn has died

Longtime and beloved Days of our Lives star Drake Hogestyn passed away on September 28, 2024, just one day shy of his 71st birthday.

Days of our Lives released a statement given to the show by the Hogestyn family.

"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."

DAYS Executive Producer Ken Corday also released a statement on the passing of the iconic star.

"This is a very difficult one for all of us," Corday said. "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."

Hogestyn was born in Fort Wayne, IN, on September 29, 1953. His love of baseball earned him a scholarship to the University of South Florida, where he earned a microbiology and applied sciences degree.

Hogestyn intended to become a doctor until he was drafted to play professional baseball with a New York Yankees minor league team. After a career-ending injury, he changed paths.

Hogestyn entered a Columbia Pictures talent search, leading him to an intensive acting program in L.A. At the time, the program director told him that he acted like a ball player but didn't play like one. After that, Hogestyn's acting career was born.

"I went to school to become a doctor and I ended up playing professional baseball, and then I became an actor out of a whimsy dare," Hogestyn told Soap Central in 2011. "They brought me out here under contract with Columbia Pictures and I used that as leverage to win back my sweetheart who left me when I signed with the Yankees."

After a stint on the short-lived primetime series Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Hogestyn landed the role that endeared him to soap fans for the next four decades. He was cast as "the Pawn" on Days of our Lives, a man who has had many aliases through the years but is mainly known as John Black.

Through the years, Hogestyn was nominated for and won several Soap Opera Digest awards while becoming one-half of one of the most popular pairs in DAYS history—John and Marlena. He has also guest-starred on CBS' Criminal Minds and appeared in the Hallmark flick Christmas Tree Lane.

Hogestyn admitted it took a long time for him to accept that he was an actor, but during a break from DAYS from 2008 to 2011, he realized he was happy with the life he chose.

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"We created a great life and family together," Hogestyn said of his marriage. "But I've never considered myself an actor. I don't know why that is, but it's taken me two-and-a-half years for me to look back and say, 'I'm an artist. I need to create to be emotionally fulfilled.'"

Hogestyn is survived by his wife of 38 years, Victoria Post; their four children, Rachael, Ben, Whitney, Alexandra, and their partners; as well as seven grandchildren.

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