Days of our Lives: Drake Hogestyn Cause of Death Details – When is John Black’s Funeral on DOOL?

You’re listening to Soap Dirt, the latest in television entertainment news. Hey Days fans! I’ve got some more details for you on the tragic death of beloved Drake Hogestyn, two weeks after his passing. It’s Belinda from Soap Dirt, and we’re going to talk about the new info that just came out, as well as what the NBC soap is going to do about John Black and the character exit, and some things that may already be in motion.

So, as you know, we all found out Drake Hogestyn passed away on Saturday, September 28th, 2024, the day before his 71st birthday. The actor’s family gave Days of Our Lives a statement to release on their behalf, which they shared the same day the John Black actor died. They said he’d been in a long battle with pancreatic cancer and that Drake gave it an unbelievable fight. We’ll talk about the new details that have come to light in just a moment, but first, if you haven’t heard, the Hogestyn family said he passed peacefully, surrounded by his loved ones. They described him as an amazing husband, father, grandfather, and actor.

Once the news broke, oh my gosh, there was such an outpouring of love and grief from all of Drake’s co-stars, fans, and everyone. It was really touching. Most everybody who talked about the John Black actor mentioned that he was an incredible storyteller, a kind man, and an amazing family man. Stephen Nichols, who plays Patch, one of his primary scene partners, said that Drake was one of those special souls who exuded joy for life.

Drake’s other scene partner, Deidre Hall, said that she and Mary Beth Evans have loved the same man for more than 40 years. She said he was gracious, kind, and respected everyone—actors, crew, everybody at the studio, no matter where they fell in the hierarchy. Deidre also said that Drake’s two great loves were his family and the Yankees. She mentioned that Drake’s wife Victoria and their children were the center of his life, and the actor will be missed beyond measure.

Now, onto the new info that just came out about Drake Hogestyn’s cause of death. We know he suffered from pancreatic cancer, but his death certificate revealed other factors contributing to his passing—vomiting, dehydration, and whole-body toxicity. This basically means that the cancer and its treatment affected the functions of his major organs. The latest info also reveals that Drake’s family had him cremated, and there was no need for an autopsy since they knew what had happened.

For anyone who has had a loved one suffer from pancreatic cancer, you know it is devastating and fast-moving. I had a friend who had it, and it’s shocking how quickly it progresses. Around 90% of patients die within a year of diagnosis, and many much faster than that. We send our well-wishes to the Hogestyn family, knowing they are still grieving.

Let’s briefly talk about when we might see John Black’s funeral on Days of Our Lives and how the character will be written out. They’ll obviously have to do an off-screen death. For perspective, John Aniston passed away on November 11th, 2022, but it was 10 months later in August 2023 that Victor Kiriakis died in an off-screen plane crash. The amazing Bill Hayes passed away earlier this year on January 12th, 2024, and Doug Williams’ funeral is set for Days’ 15,000th episode on December 3rd, which is about 10 and a half months after his passing.

Now, Drake Hogestyn passed on September 28th, and if they stick to the pattern, we should see John Black’s off-screen death revealed and his funeral in about 10 months—so, around July 2025. However, there are a lot of characters slated for return in June 2025, which makes me wonder if we might see the sad goodbye to the “Pawn” then.

In June of next year, we have Bo and Hope Brady returning—characters with long histories with John Black. Carrie Brady, who had a very close relationship with John, is back as well. Will Horton is returning, another character with close ties to John. Tony and Anna DiMera, John’s adoptive cousin, are coming back, as are Jack and Jennifer Deveraux, who are very close to John. Shane Donovan is also returning, and John’s stepdaughter Sami Brady will be back too. Everyone I’ve seen on the June 2025 return list has significant ties to John Black.

Of course, some others, like Martha Madison as Belle Black and Christopher Sean as Paul Narita, haven’t been confirmed, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be part of this. It may just be that the showrunners are holding back on announcing them if they want to keep the funeral storyline under wraps. With so many significant returns, it feels like they might be gearing up for John Black’s farewell in June.

The writers knew well before Drake’s passing that he was terminally ill, so they had time to plan and write these returns, perhaps faster than with other actors. When I asked the rep at Days’ PR office about John Black’s funeral and tribute to Drake Hogestyn, they told me it was too early to talk about it. Obviously, they can’t give away too much just yet, even if they do know.

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