It’s always a good thing when Days of Our Lives fan favorite and Hallmark star Alison Sweeney returns to her daytime roots and brings Sami home to Salem. And for those watching today’s August 4 episode, well, it was extra special yet heartbreaking at the same time. Though it was explained back in June that Sami hadn’t been able to come home for John’s funeral due to Sydney’s accident, viewers have been waiting to see her reunite with Marlena to grieve the man they both loved beyond words.

To say today’s reunion scenes were emotional is an understatement and we found ourselves feeling once again for not only Marlena and Sami but the actresses themselves who lost their castmate and loved one, Drake Hogestyn, who passed away on September 28, 2024. The tears, the sadness, it was all very evident that the stars didn’t have to act and it was nice to see Sami interact with Johnny as well, given all that he’s going through.

Like Sweeney told Soaps.com, “Mourning doesn’t always happen [when] everyone gets together on one day. Sometimes, that’s an ongoing thing. Having Sami come back and share those moments with Marlena… I’m really glad that I got to be a part of it in the way that I was, it felt very real.”