Peter Reckell Addresses DAYS Fans’ Grief Over John’s Death (Exclusive)

Peter Reckell (Bo) is well aware of Days of Our Lives fans’ devotion to the nearly 60-year-old soap and their intense love for both its characters and the actors who portray them. So he understands the grief they’re currently feeling over the death of John Black and, in turn, beloved actor Drake Hogestyn, who had played the popular character since 1986 — and he feels compelled to say something about it.

The Impact of John’s Demise

“There’s something I need to say, especially right now,” begins Reckell. “The fans are going through so much with Drake’s passing and his character’s [death]. We [in the cast] understand how much these characters mean to our audience. They are just more impactful than any other kind of medium. When you have characters in your living room every day — it used to be several times a week,I don’t know what it is these days, probably a little less — the relationships that the audience develops with these characters are just so powerful to them.”

Because of that potent bond between fans and the fictional figures of Salem, Reckell understands and acknowledges that grief is hitting DAYS viewers in a very real way. “When something happens with [the character of] John and with having Drake pass away when he was so young, it hurts that much more,” notes the actor. “And [it comes] on top of Bill [Hayes, ex-Doug] and John [Aniston, ex-Victor] passing. People have to realize that because of that powerful connection, you go through the grief, and sometimes part of that grief is anger and sadness.”

Reckell has seen signs of that online. “There’s some stuff happening on social media with the anger part of it,” he points out, regarding reaction to the playing out of John’s death on screen. “I think people have got to realize that and not put blame on anybody, the writers or whatever, because it’s just part of grief. And talk to your friends, if it’s online or people you watch the show with, because these are really powerful and impactful circumstances that are happening. Just as if a relative of yours was passing, this is how powerful this is.”

Reckell believes that DAYS fans need to realize the toll that John’s death has taken on them and find a way to come to terms with it in an emotionally healthy way. “I think people have to really pay attention to that,” stresses Reckell. “They need to deal with it in a way that is like a real person passing, and especially with the anger part of it, because you don’t want to ruin relationships or carry anger around and have it turn out in your real life as well as your online life. So I hope people really think about that and reach out and get some help.”