'Days Of Our Lives' Julie & Doug Tribute - Susan Seaforth Hayes Honors Late Real-Life Husband Bill Hayes on the TV Show

justjared.com:

A beautiful tribute is happening on Days of Our Lives, blurring the line between art and real life. In 1970, the characters of Julie Olson and Doug Williams met on the long-running soap series, played by Susan Seaforth and Bill Hayes.

The two met in real-life and fell in love, resulting in a marriage lasting 50 years, until his death earlier this year. Now, Susan is paying tribute to her late love, in real life and on the series. Keep reading to find out more… “Being without Bill is quite a change,” she said in an interview with Variety. “I really appreciate what the producers have done to honor him — to allow me to give pretty much the same eulogy [on the show for Doug] that I gave [Bill] at our church.

I certainly didn’t expect that. He deserved to be lifted up, and I was so, so pleased that [his death] wasn’t just passed over as something that happened off stage.

It happens very much on stage too. It was difficult to do, but not as difficult as living through it in life.” The storyline kicks off next week, as Julie tends to her sick husband.