‘DOOL’ Alison Sweeney Hints At Surprise Return For John’s Funeral
Alison Sweeney was 16 years old when she joined DOOL as legacy character Sami Brady. She was immediately thrown into a huge storyline involving the beloved family. John Black had recently found out that he had been brainwashed into thinking he was Roman Brady. He’d spent years thinking he was Marlena’s (Deidre Hall) husband. Despite the real Roman coming back to Salem and resuming his place at Marlena’s side, John and Marlena couldn’t fight their attraction for long.
Sami walked in on her mom and John going at it on a conference room table, sparking Sami’s bad girl era. She tried to sell her baby sister, Belle, on the black market after finding out John was Belle’s father. Despite Sami’s antics, Marlena eventually left Roman and married John. They became one of Salem’s most long-lasting couples until John’s unexpected death last week.
The decision was made to kill the character off after actor Drake Hogestyn’s real-life death in September 2024. Since the show films so far in advance, viewers are just now seeing John’s death. The show brought back several beloved characters for the heartbreaking death, including Christie Clark as Carrie Brady.
But there is one glaring absence: Sami Brady. Despite years of fighting with John, she eventually forgave him and considers him a second father. So why hasn’t she returned to Salem after his passing?
Why Sami Didn’t Get To Say Goodbye To John Black
Alison Sweeney played Sami Brady for over twenty years before leaving the show in 2014. She’s returned to the show several times for short stints since then. But the actress has a flourishing career with the Hallmark Channel.
She spoke out about the pleasure of working with Drake Hogestyn on the daytime soap for all those years. Sami hasn’t been seen in Salem to mourn her stepfather. However, the show has mentioned her several times and explained why she was missing.
John was gravely injured in an explosion while getting life-saving medicine for Bo. While he was hospitalized, each of his kids – bio and otherwise – sat vigil at his bedside. Sami was on her way to Salem with her daughter Sydney, but the flight from Italy was canceled because of volcanic ash.
Then Sydney has a mishap at the airport while trying to catch the next flight. They said on the show that Sami’s daughter fell on the automatic walkway and broke her collarbone. She was rushed to surgery. Sami couldn’t make it to Salem because she had to stay in Italy with her daughter.
The funeral starts this week on DOOL. Leaked photos from filming reveal which of John’s kids were at the funeral.
Is it my imagination or are they holding the same flowers that John & Marlena named to each of them?💔 #jarlena pic.twitter.com/yaHZtUZ8mE
— Days Of Jarlena (@daysofjarlena) June 6, 2025
Belle (Martha Madison,) Brady (Eric Martsolf,) Paul (Christopher Sean,) Eric (Greg Vaughan,) and Carrie (Christie Clark) were all there. Sami doesn’t seem to be present, but fans think there’s a chance Sami will find her way back to Salem after Alison Sweeney teased her return to the soap.
Alison Sweeney Hints At Surprise DOOL Return For John’s Funeral
Alison Sweeney has several Hallmark movies debuting this month. She took to her Instagram Story after the premiere of To Barcelona, with Love this weekend. She asked her followers what they thought of the movie.
One fan replied that she loves all of Sweeney’s movies and when she returns to DOOL. Alison Sweeney shared the comment by posting a photo outside the Brady Pub with a sign that said, “Coming soon.”
Some fans thought that was a hint that Sami would make it home for John’s funeral after all. After the service at the cemetery, a wake will be held at Brady Pub, per a request in John Black’s will.
It hasn’t been officially confirmed if Alison Sweeney will return for the funeral. But an article from TV Insider in April said she would be back for the funeral and later in the year for the show’s 60th anniversary.
Tune in to Days of Our Lives on Peacock this week as Salem residents honor John Black and beloved actor Drake Hogestyn.
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