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 an announcement on the long-running cleaning soap opera’s official Instagram account, asserting 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 unimaginable energy and willpower. After placing up an unbelievable struggle, he handed peacefully surrounded by family members. He was essentially the most superb husband, father, papa and actor. He liked performing for the Days viewers and sharing the stage with the best forged, crew, and manufacturing group 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 Prison Minds and Otherworld.

Ken Corday, government producer of Days of Our Lives, wrote in a tribute, per Cleaning soap Opera Digest, “This can be a very tough one for all of us. Hogey was the last word group participant and there are usually not adequate phrases to specific how deeply he will probably be missed. His impression on our present, personally and professionally, was profound and can ceaselessly stay unmatched.”