Drake Hogestyn approves death scene for his character on Days of Our Lives before passing

Drake Hogestyn, known for his role as John Black on "Days of Our Lives," died on September 28 at age 70 after battling pancreatic cancer. The show is preparing to air his character's death scene, which Hogestyn approved before his passing. Producers faced challenges in creating the farewell while Hogestyn was still alive. Executive producer Ken Corday noted the difficulty of telling a death story under these circumstances, but emphasized Hogestyn's support for the storyline. Co-stars expressed the emotional impact of filming the farewell scenes. Deirdre Hall described the tribute as "beautifully done," featuring flashbacks of iconic moments from Hogestyn's long tenure on the show.