Days of our Lives Recap, June 11, 2025: John Black is laid to rest

On Days of our Lives today, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, Eric, Carrie, Brady, Bo, and Marlena remember John.

What Happened on Days of our Lives

In Bo’s hospital room, Bo continued to plead with Hope about attending John’s funeral. He needed to be there in person, and they weren’t “that far” from Salem. Hope made it clear her reticence wasn’t only about the doctor’s orders. If something happened to Bo, John’s sacrifice would be “in vain.”

Bo insisted that both Hope and he should be at the service, as John was “a brother” to both of them. Hope eventually relented and hugged Bo before going to fetch the car keys.

At John’s funeral, Eric said a few words about John. Even after Eric discovered John wasn’t his biological father, John and he kept their connection intact. They had been bonded not only by their devotion to God but by the fact that John was “a wonderful person” who had always been there for his loved ones. It had been one of the “great honors” — and also one of the hardest moments — of Eric’s life to preside over John’s service. Once he finished, Eric hugged and kissed his family in the front row.

When he returned to the podium, Eric explained that his sister Sami couldn’t be in attendance, but she had sent a letter. Eric read the message, in which Sami talked about how she’d spent a long time blaming John for everything wrong in her life. But eventually, Sami had come to her senses and appreciated the “wonderful childhood memories" John had gifted her. And as she had grown into adulthood, John had taught Sami “patience, compassion, and forgiveness.”

John had not “ruined” Sami’s life, but instead “had made it infinitely better.” Sami thanked John for loving her, her mom, and the entire family. She apologized to John for allowing her “ego and pride” to turn her into “a total nightmare” at times. “I love you, John. I always will, and I already miss you,” Sami’s letter concluded.

Next, Carrie approached the podium and hugged Eric. She began her speech by marveling about how well Marlena and John had managed to forge a “blended” family despite “the hormones, the drama, and the fighting.” John had a special way of always making the people in his life feel “loved and cherished.” No matter how busy he had been, he had provided a listening ear and had been like Carrie’s second father. “We are one,” she affirmed of their family.

Carrie recalled a past marriage ceremony between John and Marlena. John had gotten each family member to present a different flower. The flowers had represented the unique and beautiful garden that was their family. Carrie wanted to recreate that symbolism as a testament to John and Marlena’s enduring love. Marlena smiled wistfully at the suggestion and remembered the original ceremony.

As the kids placed their individual flowers in front of John’s photo, John and Marlena's voices explained the meaning of the flowers. “Belle is our daisy; she’s our sunshine that lights us up with her smile…Brady, you’re a sunflower—bold, adventurous, he’ll tackle anything that comes his way…”

Paul brought up a rose for Sami. “Then there is our rose…when it’s light and warm, the bud opens and it’s a revelation; it’s a huge, generous heart with all the natural beauty nature has to offer.” Eric’s flower was a snapdragon, which meant “daring, headstrong, smart. Keeps all the other flowers on their toes…with a limitless capacity for love and loyalty.”

Finally, Carrie placed an orchid: “beautiful, fragile...we can’t claim her genetically, but we raised her together, and we are so proud of the graceful, substantial woman she has become. She is the child of our hearts.” Following the commemoration, the kids gathered around Marlena for a family huddle.

Brady then took to the podium and spoke on behalf of John’s dad, Timothy. Although Timothy and John hadn’t known each other for most of their lives, when they did discover their connection, their “joy was off the charts. They were like two puzzle pieces that fit so well together.” Brady warmly reflected on father and son’s mutual “enthusiasm, optimism, and warmth.” But John had one notable attribute that Timothy didn’t share, and it could be summed up in a single word: “eyebrow.”

The group shared a laugh as Brady touted the merits of John’s “effective, but extremely versatile” use of one of his “greatest assets.” With Rachel, John had brought out “conspiratorial eyebrow” for when the two were cooking up a scheme. “Suspicious eyebrow” had made many appearances, especially when the kids were teenagers and were trying to keep something from John. Brady lightly pointed to Belle wrecking the family car as a notable example. “Interesting eyebrow” had been directed at Brady when he’d gone on one of his first dates in high school, decked out in embarrassing teen attire.

Brady believed John’s colleagues at work could attest to his “don’t think about it” serious eyebrow and his “I like where you’re going with this, partner” intrigued eyebrow. Brady’s personal favorite was the classic “go ahead, make my day” challenging eyebrow.

Brady grew serious again and talked of how Timothy’s reentry into John’s life had eased much of the “uncertainty” John had grappled with for most of his life. John had been haunted by his past, and Timothy had helped him “exorcise those ghosts.” Brady had always known one thing about John for certain: “he was the world’s greatest dad, and I got to know that for all my life.” Brady was grateful John had gotten to experience that feeling for a brief time. Brady ended his speech with a simple “I love you.”

Marlena finally took her place at the podium. She hadn’t intended to speak because she’d been fortunate to express all her feelings to John before he had died. But she did want to share a poem that had held deep meaning for John and her. Marlena recited: “That is the true season of love, when we believed that we alone could love, that no one has ever loved so before us, and no one will ever love in the same way after us.” Marlena emotionally affirmed, “Seasons of love, we had so many of them.”

Marlena and John had been blessed with almost four decades together. Each year had been “rich and loving and powerful.” Marlena would keep those memories in her heart “forever.” She left the podium and stood beside John’s photos and urn before continuing. “We had obstacles in our life, but we survived them because our love brought us through.”

Marlena believed the family and she would survive because “our love will bring us through.” As the kids broke down, Marlena tearfully said, “Goodbye, my love.”

Eric resumed his officiating duties and started to lead the group in a prayer. He was interrupted by Bo and Hope’s arrival. As the crowd reacted with astonishment, Hope and a hesitant Bo approached Marlena. Hope hugged Marlena, gave her condolences, and explained that Bo had wanted to be there. “Of course you did,” Marlena mused with a sad smile. She accepted Bo’s embrace and granted his request to say a few words.

Bo made his way to the podium and relayed the story of how he’d first encountered John. Although no one had known John’s identity, Bo and everyone else in town had falsely believed John had killed someone they had loved. Bo had hunted down John to return the favor, and the men had ended up in combat.” Bo had almost fallen over a cliff, but John had saved him, even though Bo had been trying to kill him. “He’s a powerful man,” Bo said, “but his true power was his huge heart and his compassion.”

Bo recollected how John would always provide comforting words during hard times or a needed “slap upside the head” of tough love. Bo was in awe that John had sacrificed his life to save Bo. “He gave me the most precious thing of all – time.” But John hadn’t just saved Bo. He had made it possible to save “life after life after life.” John’s “gift of life” would live on.

“And that’s a fact,” Bo declared with a bittersweet chuckle. He gingerly walked to John’s picture. “I will carry you with me always,” Bo cried. “Rest in peace, brother, rest in peace.”

After the service, Marlena commended Eric on the wonderful job he had done. John would have been proud. Marlena strode over to a lilac arrangement and thought back to John giving her a bouquet filled with the flowers. She wondered who had sent the lovely arrangement.

Meanwhile, Kayla scolded Bo for leaving the hospital against doctor’s orders. Bo reaffirmed his desire to be present for someone both Kayla and he had considered a brother. Later, Hope gazed at a picture of John and opened up to Bo about the special connection John and she had forged because of Stefano’s impact on their lives. Hope had looked up to John as a “big brother,” and she took comfort in the certainty that he was “with the angels.”

Chanel and Johnny discussed Johnny’s distress when people had spoken of John’s legacy. It weighed on Johnny that he hadn’t been honoring that legacy in recent times. Chanel assured her husband that his therapy and his new job demonstrated his “clean slate" and his commitment to honoring John.

Kate approached the memorial table and commemorated her friendship with John. Brady also took a private moment with his dad. He placed a memento John had given him from Isabella on the table. “Say hi to Mom for me,” Brady said, looking upward.

In the closing moments post-service, Kayla conveyed her regret to Marlena that she hadn’t been able to locate the coin Marlena had given John before he had passed. Marlena was at peace with the disappearance of the coin. It had symbolized hope for John’s recovery, and that hope was lost.

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