Longtime 'Days of Our Lives' star Drake Hogestyn dies at 70, family says

LOS ANGELES -- Actor Drake Hogestyn, known for his role as John Black on the soap opera "Days of Our Lives," has died following a battle with cancer, his family announced on Saturday. He was 70 years old.

"It's with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Drake Hogestyn. 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," reads a statement from the Hogestyn family, which was posted to the Days of Our Lives Instagram account. "After putting up an unbelievable fight, he passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones."

Other news outlets, including Variety and the Hollywood Reporter, have also reported his passing.

The family's statement describes Hogestyn as the "most amazing husband, father, papa, and actor," and highlighted his love of performing for the "Days of Our Lives" audience and working with the show's cast, crew and production team.

"We love him and we will miss him all the Days of Our Lives," the statement said.

Hogestyn was born on September 29, 1953 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, according to Soap Opera Digest. He died one day before his 71st birthday.

He was popular among daytime soap opera fans as a part of the supercouple "John and Marlena" with Dr. Marlena Evans, played by Deidre Hall.

Hogestyn made his "Days of Our Lives" debut in 1986 and appeared in more than 4,200 episodes, according to IMDb. His work on the long-running soap opera earned him Soap Opera Digest Award wins in 1994 and 1995 for hottest male star, and another win in 2005 for favorite couple.

KGO-TV staff contributed to this report

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