Here's what Days of our Lives' Drake Hogestyn taught Christie Clark

On Days of our Lives, there was a time when Carrie Brady believed that John Black was her father, Roman Brady, due to the machinations of the nefarious Stefano DiMera. As a result, she and John formed a strong bond that lasted even after it turned out he wasn’t Roman. Cassie’s portrayer, Christie Clark, who has played the character off and on since 1986, recently opened up about how John’s alter ego, the late Drake Hogestyn, impacted her life.

It was heartbreaking

Clark had a discussion with TV Insider, and revealed that she had been aware that Hogestyn was struggling with pancreatic cancer. So much so that he was no longer able to go back to work. When the show decided to have John go out in a heroic blaze of glory after the actor’s passing, Clark stated, “I knew I had to come back, because it was for him, because he was my mentor, and really was the main principal actor I worked with and grew up with, and gave me everything.”

Through a burst of emotion, she remarked, “My God, he was just a man of unbelievable beauty inside and out.” The thought of Hogestyn, who was in great shape and was grateful for everything in his life, would be passing away from the illness left her “gutted.” She truly loved her former on-screen almost-Dad, explaining, “It was just heartbreaking.”

They had a connection

The Days of our Lives star went on to describe Hogestyn as a “beautiful soul,” and remarked that he was among the very few she’d ever met in her life. His kindness toward everyone involved in the show made a lasting impression on her because not only did he lift people’s spirits, but "he also made you proud to be a human.” She further explained his influence upon her, noting that, “He taught me some good lessons on how to be a good person, and I think for me, that is the ultimate goal.”

Clark also stated that he was like a second father to her and the two would often prank one another. “We really had that connection,” she explained, adding that it lasted for several years. “It was an absolutely stunning, beautiful experience to be with him,” she remarked, and noted that his influence also taught her how to be a good and loving person toward all of the show’s cast and crew.

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“I was hoping to see him,” Clark explained of her return to the show. Sadly, that wasn’t meant to be. She stated that Hogestyn passed away a few days after they shot John’s final scenes, noting that, “Nobody knew that it was that serious, but everybody knew that it was going to happen because it was terminal cancer, so nobody was acting.” Ultimately, she described the unthinkable situation as “just raw emotion for someone that we all loved.”

Days of our Lives can be found on the Peacock app.

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