Days of our Lives: Remembering John Black a year after his death

Days of our Lives fan favorite Drake Hogestyn passed away on September 28, 2024, but because of the show's advance-taping schedule, John Black's death didn't play out on-screen the following year. The character of John died one year ago today, June 2, 2025.

Remembering Days of our Lives' John Black

Marlena, John, and Belle on Days of our Lives | Image: JPI

Marlena (Deidre Hall) visited John's grave on the May 29th episode. After sharing some warm sentiments with her late husband, Marlena discovered that coin by the grave, sensing that somehow John was behind it.

Hogestyn joined DAYS in 1986 as a mystery man, later revealed to be Roman Brady, the love of Marlena's life. In 1984, Roman fell off a cliff while struggling with Stefano DiMera (Joe Mascolo). His family believed that Roman had been washed out to see but viewers saw Stefano in possession of Roman's body.

In 1991, Marlena came back from the dead, having been presumed dead in a plane crash in 1987. The reunion between Roman and Marlena as she stepped out of the fog on the pier is iconic.

But Hall wasn't the only popular returnee to the show that year; Wayne Northrup, the first actor to play Roman, was brought back to the show, too. DAYS revealed that "Roman" (played by Hogestyn) wasn't Roman at all. He reclaimed the name of John Black.

John may not have been Roman, but his love for Marlena wouldn't die. Marlena and John renewed their love affair; Marlena, in fact, committed adultery while still married to Roman. After Roman and Marlena split, John and Marlena, once again, became the show's top supercouple.

Hogestyn remained on the show until his exit on September 9, 2024. The hero went off on another mission, and DAYS remained true to John's origins when writing his death into the show. He had originally made the scene wearing bandages that covered his face.

John was injured in an explosion while saving Bo Brady (Peter Reckell), and he was brought to Salem University Hospital, again wearing bandages. This allowed Marlena to sit with John at his bedside as he passed away.

Numerous characters returned for John's funeral and celebration of life, including Christie Clark (Carrie) and Charles Shaughnessy (Shane Donovan).

Annual smooch tradition

Hogestyn and Hall shared a kiss every year at Day of DAYS | Image: JPI

Each year at the annual Day of DAYS fan event, Hogestyn and Hall would share a kiss during the Q&A portion of the day, much to the delight of fans.

Hogestyn turned in a compelling performance when the show told a "right to die" story with the character of Marlena (actually, Hattie Adams, also played by Hall)

John had to fight his own daughter, Belle (Martha Madison), who'd been tasked with acting as her mother's legal and medical proxy should she ever become incapacitated. Always a fan favorite, Hogestyn was a cheerleader for the show, who has a reputation for being accessible to the press.

In a recent summer sizzle reel, previewing DAYS' upcoming stories, Belle noted that a "pawn" was missing from a set of chess pieces. It looks like the show is finding a way to keep the character of John Black relevant in a future storyline.

For the last two years, cast members from DAYS have gathered for a Pancreatic Cancer run in honor of Hogestyn with a team titled, appropriately, "Hogey's Homerunners."