Less than two weeks after Days of Our Lives star Drake Hogestyn suddenly passed away at the age of 70, the actor’s official cause of death has been revealed.
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According to death records obtained by TMZ from the L.A. Medical Examiner’s Office, the official cause of death was pancreatic cancer. Other significant conditions that contributed to Hogestyn’s death included vomiting, dehydration, and whole-body toxicity. The actor died in Los Angeles on Sept. 28.
The report further revealed that Drake Hogestyn was cremated at Rose Family Funeral Home in Simi Valley.
The actor first made his Days of Our Lives appearance as John Black in 1986. He starred in more than 4,200 episodes during his time on the show.
In a statement, Drake’s family announced his passing. “It’s with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Drake Hogestyn,” the statement reads. “He was thrown the curve ball of his life when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but he faced the challenge with incredible strength and determination. After putting up an unbelievable fight, he passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones.”
The statement continued with his family stating, “He was the most amazing husband, father, papa, and actor. He loved performing for the ‘Days’ audience and sharing the stage with the greatest cast, crew, and production team in the business. We love him and we will miss him all the Days of our Lives.”
Days of Our Lives executive producer Ken Corday also released a statement. “This is a very difficult one for all of us. Hogey was the ultimate team player and there are not sufficient words to express how deeply he will be missed. His impact on our show, personally and professionally, was profound and will forever remain unmatched.”
Drake Hogestyn’s Final ‘Days of Our Lives’ Episode Airs
After appearing in thousands of Days of Our Lives episodes, Drake Hogestyn’s final appearance on the long-running soap opera was during the Sept. 9 episode.
During the episode, Hogestyn’s onscreen grandson Tate (Leo Howard) is seen with his love interest Holly (Ashley Puzemis), after finding out who was responsible for her father’s death. Hogestyn’s character, John, then offers words of comfort and advice to Tate.
Tate explained to his grandfather that he and Holly had a “pretty big fight” when he revealed to her it was his Uncle Eric (Greg Vaughan) who caused her father’s death.
Although Tate assumed she already knew the truth, Holly appeared stunned.
John then stated that Tate should give Holly some “space” as she copes with the news.
“You know what? I got a feeling I’m not doing a very good job picking your mind off things,” John told Tate. “Can’t hurt to check in with her just to let her know you’re thinking about her. I’m sure that she will appreciate just knowing that you are there for her if she needs you.”