Kristian Alfonso on ‘Days of Our Lives’ Emotional Sendoff for the Late Drake Hogestyn

It has been an extremely emotional time for longtime fans of “Days of Our Lives,” as they have had to say farewell to the beloved character of John Black, played by the late Drake Hogestyn. The actor died on September 28, 2024, but for fans and cast members alike, knowing for months in advance that the character of John would also die didn’t make it any easier when the time actually came.

Kristian Alfonso returned to “Days of Our Lives” to film the long-awaited reunion of Bo (Peter Reckell) and Hope, and she knew that she would also be filming John’s memorial scenes. As she filmed those first scenes, Alfonso tells Soap Opera Digest that she didn’t realize just how sick Drake was.

Kristian Alfonso Was Optimistic About Drake’s Health

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When Kristian Alfonso returned to the “Days” set to begin filming her reunion with Peter Reckell, she felt that there was reason to be optimistic about Hogestyn’s prognosis. “I was texting with Drake during that time, not really realizing [how ill he was], because I had heard good news,” she shared with Soap Opera Digest. “My heart and my head were completely hopeful, because that’s what I try to lead with: positivity and hope, no pun intended. So, I was hopeful. But,” she adds, her voice growing thick with emotion, “what I had heard was not completely correct.”

The actress admits to being absolutely “devastated” by Drake’s death, as the two had spent decades together on camera. “Drake was, as you know, such a wonderful actor,” Alfonso says. “And I loved being a team member with him because we were such a team, and we had such a great time doing our jobs, which didn’t feel like jobs! I mean, some days were tougher than other days,” she says.

Hogestyn was known for his positivity, which Alfonso confirms, “He was just like, ‘Okay, today is a really dirty day! A difficult day, physically, we’ve got a ton of dialogue. Let’s do it! We’re gonna do it, we’re gonna be great, we’re gonna give the audience what they want!’ That was Drake, you know? And that’s why we got along so well, too, because that’s my upbringing, as well. Both of us were athletes. Drake was a baseball player.”

Kristian Says That Drake Was ‘an Incredible Human Being’

As amazing as Drake was to work with, Kristian confirms that he was even better in real life. He was “an incredible human being,” she says fondly. “And an incredible husband. Oh, my gosh, so madly, madly in love with [wife] Victoria. I remember him coming back at Christmas one year — obviously, in the ’80s — and saying, ‘I went and knocked on the door of my first love, and I’m gonna marry her.’ I was like, ‘Really? What’s her name?’ ‘Victoria,’ he told me. He told me the whole story [of their earlier relationship] and I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, that’s so romantic.’ Drake has a beautiful family, and he was an incredible father. There are no words to truly express what a wonderful, gentle person he truly was.”