Associates Ali Sweeney and Kristian Alfonso react

He will always be their John.

“Days of Our Lives” star Drake Hogestyn, who played John Black on the soap opera for almost 40 years, has died. The actor died of pancreatic cancer on Saturday at the age of 70 – one day before his 71st birthday.

The official account of the cult series on Instagram shared the news of his death.

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of Drake Hogestyn,” the statement read. “When he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, he experienced a turning point in his life, but he faced the challenge with incredible strength and determination.

“After fighting an incredible fight, he passed away peacefully surrounded by his loved ones. He was the greatest husband, father, dad and actor. He loved performing for the Days crowd and sharing the stage with the best cast, crew and production team in the industry. We love him and will miss him all the days of our lives.”

Hogestyn’s co-stars began paying tribute to the late star via social media, as well as sharing photos of him on set and over the years.

“My heart,” actress Kristian Alfonso began on Instagram. “I will always remember you as a loving, loving father, husband and dear friend, but above all, an amazing, passionate man, generous and extremely kind. Always…… Thank you for the love you gave us all every day, Drake on and off set. You have always been our hero.”

“I love you,” she concluded. “Rest in peace 🕊️my sweet friend.”

Alfonso, 61, is best known for playing Hope Williams Brady on the show, which aired on NBC from 1965 to 2022 and is currently streaming new episodes on Peacock. The former figure skater left the show in 2020, but she returns to celebrate the show’s 60th anniversary alongside Peter Reckell (who famously played Bo Her Hope). According to TV Line in September, the reunion episodes will air in May 2025.

Genie Francis, who played Diana Colville, wrote: “We are sorry to hear of the death of Drake Hogestyn. Such a wonderful and nice man. It was a pleasure working with him. I always loved how much he loved his wife and children.

Hogestyn’s colleague Ali Sweeney, whom she has known for decades, also sent her greetings.

“Drake was an amazing man. He was funny, generous and caring. He cared about every scene, every person. He loved Days, the fans and shared that passion with everyone on set,” the 48-year-old actress wrote on Instagram. “My heart breaks for his family, they were everything to him. He was a huge part of my life at Days. I will miss him terribly and treasure every story, every joke and every hug.”

Hogestyn first appeared on “Days of Our Lives” on January 24, 1986, starring on the hit show for 38 years and filming more than 4,200 episodes. Starring Deidre Hall as Marlena Evans, it became one of the most famous romances in the history of daytime television.

Hall left the series in 1987 to star in “Our House,” but returned after it was canceled. In May 2023, she talked about John and Marlena’s relationship in an interview with People.

“We are a couple that teaches that people stay together for better or worse, remain loving, remain sensual and sexual, and that is worth fighting for,” she said then. “(Fans) are able to suspend disbelief long enough to really get into the story.”

In April 2018, the pair also spoke to Soap Opera Digest in a joint interview about their long history on screen – with Hall recalling their audition.

“I was doing tests with him because I would have played with him myself, and when everyone was done – they watched all the scenes, of course – and I was called upstairs and said, ‘Okay, we know what we think, and you know what you think.’ because you have to work with him? And everyone agreed and it was Drake!” she exclaimed, speaking about the Fort Wayne, Indiana resident. “No one else was even remotely like this character, had such magic, chemistry and attractiveness of a male hero. And that was the beginning.

For his part, Hogestyn said: “Even though the world is changing, there is one thing that does not change. There is playfulness and affection on both sides that combine and make it stronger. I think John and Marlena are the epitome of dedication to each other and overcoming all the obstacles that every couple faces every day. We do not take this responsibility lightly. “I think that’s a good signal to send to the public.”

Hogestyn is survived by his wife, Victoria Post, four children: Whitney, Alexandra, Rachael and Ben, and seven grandchildren.