Days of Our Lives’ Susan Seaforth Hayes shared her touching gratitude for the fans and the show.
The funeral of Doug on Days of Our Lives will go down in history as one of the most memorable and heartbreaking ones.
To make it even more bittersweet, Susan Seaforth Hayes’ Julie gave the eulogy for Doug. It was similar to the one she did
for his portrayer and her real-life husband, Bill Hayes. Now that the tissue supply among fans has dwindled, she shared her gratitude for friends and fans who watched the momentous and heartbreaking occasion unfold.
Her Feelings Were Real
Hayes took time to write on Instagram, “For all of you who have joined me in spirit through the days of Billy’s passing and Doug’s memorial on Days of Our Lives, I thank you ❤️. It was a privilege to share my joy in his life with so many via television. Our Corday Family honored us with a particular love story that began 54 years ago in front of a television camera and ended there, too. How amazing!”
She referenced Ted and Betty Corday who created the daytime serial and their son Ken Corday continues to oversee the production as executive producer, and her post contained a photo of her and Bill from yesteryear. Hayes continued: “My darling was a steadfast, inspiring father to five children. He helped build a hospital in Africa, starred on Broadway for Rodgers and Hammerstein, conducted choirs… and I could never tell you the half of it.”
He Was a Legend
Haye’s final words in the post were, “He held me up with love so true. That’s all that keeps me or Julie standing now…recalling those glorious yesterdays and looking forward to more tomorrows.” Unlike most fan responses on social media, which are generally short, a majority of the responses to her post were quite long and well thought out. “Your love on screen and in real life @billsusanhayes is what true love is all about❤️the memorial service on TV was so beautiful and the strength you had to go through this twice there are no words,” wrote one follower who then explained that the couple’s love for each other would forever remain in Hayes’ heart.
Most of the fans were in awe at Hayes’ strength and courage, and one replied, “Mr. Hayes was a huge force in the entertainment industry bigger than a lot of folks know & he is & will be missed by his family & a ton of fans.” Another viewer summed up all of the lengthy responses succinctly, “God bless you, Susan. Your strength was extraordinary today. Bill will always be a legend.” (
