Drake Hogestyn, a Days of Our Lives veteran who performed John Black for almost 4 a long time, has died. He was 70.

The actor’s household shared a press release on the long-running cleaning soap opera’s official Instagram account, saying he died after a battle with pancreatic most cancers.

“It’s with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Drake Hogestyn,” the assertion learn. “He was thrown the curve ball of his life when he was identified with pancreatic most cancers, however he confronted the problem with unbelievable power and willpower. After placing up an unbelievable combat, he handed peacefully surrounded by family members. He was probably the most wonderful husband, father, papa and actor. He liked performing for the Days viewers and sharing the stage with the best solid, crew, and manufacturing workforce within the enterprise. We love him and we are going to miss him all of the Days of our Lives.”

Hogestyn first appeared on Days of Our Lives in 1986. He performed John Black up till his loss of life, with a hiatus from 2009 to 2011, and starred in additional than 4,200 episodes of NBC’s fashionable cleaning soap opera.

His different performing credit included Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Technology, Beverly Hills Cowgirl Blues, One Stormy Evening, Christmas Tree Lane and Evening Sins. Hogestyn additionally had visitor roles in episodes of Legal Minds and Otherworld.

Ken Corday, government producer of Days of Our Lives, wrote in a tribute, per Cleaning soap Opera Digest, “It is a very tough one for all of us. Hogey was the last word workforce participant and there aren’t enough phrases to precise how deeply he can be missed. His influence on our present, personally and professionally, was profound and can endlessly stay unmatched.”