Days of Our Lives Shockwave: Susan Seaforth Hayes’ Poignant Post Leaves Fans Breathless

For decades, Days of Our Lives has been the daily heartbeat of millions of viewers, delivering passion, betrayal, and redemption with the kind of flair only daytime television can master. But every so often, the drama leaps beyond the screen, and real life writes a storyline as captivating—and as gut-wrenching—as anything Salem could conjure. This week, that script was penned by none other than soap legend Susan Seaforth Hayes, whose recent social media post has sent ripples of nostalgia, sorrow, and anticipation through the soap-watching world.

The post—simple in appearance, but weighted with history—offered more than just a candid photo. It was an emotional time capsule, a farewell steeped in decades of shared triumphs, heartbreaks, and industry-defining performances. In one frame, Susan Seaforth Hayes, Suzanne Rogers, and Susan Flannery—three women who have shaped the very DNA of daytime television—sat together in a sunlit booth at Art’s Deli in Los Angeles, plates of comfort food before them, their smiles hiding the bittersweet nature of the gathering.

It wasn’t just a reunion. It was a goodbye.

A Farewell With the Weight of History

Susan’s caption was deceptively lighthearted: “Three Suzies have breakfast at Art’s Deli.” But as she went on to reveal, this wasn’t just any breakfast. The occasion was to send off Susan Flannery, one of the most formidable talents in soap opera history, who at 86 is leaving the United States behind to begin a new life in Australia.

For fans, this landed like a plot twist ripped from a sweeps-month script—unexpected, dramatic, and tinged with sadness. What could pull a woman like Flannery, a powerhouse who has commanded stages and screens for over half a century, away from Hollywood? Was it family? A craving for a quieter life? Or perhaps, after decades of commanding boardrooms and surviving fictional betrayals, simply the desire to trade the drama for the Australian coast?

Whatever the reason, the farewell was more than symbolic—it marked the close of a chapter in soap opera history.

The Three Suzies: A Sisterhood Forged in Drama

To understand the emotional weight of this breakfast, one must revisit the intertwined journeys of these three icons.

Susan Seaforth Hayes has embodied Days’ Julie Williams for more than 55 years, surviving every twist Salem could throw at her—affairs, fires, betrayals, and devastating losses. She is the show’s living timeline, the only actor to appear in all seven decades since the soap’s 1965 debut. Her real-life love story with the late Bill Hayes mirrored her on-screen romance, making them not just stars but a living symbol of enduring devotion.

Suzanne Rogers, radiant as Maggie Horton, joined Days in 1973 and quickly became the emotional heartbeat of the series. Her portrayal of Maggie’s journey—from wheelchair-bound farm girl to matriarch of the Horton family—has been a masterclass in resilience. Rogers’ real-life battle with myasthenia gravis, woven into the show’s storyline, set a precedent for honesty in daytime television. Her gratitude toward Flannery, who mentored her during her early days, still radiates in every interaction between them.

Susan Flannery began her Days career as Dr. Laura Horton, exploring groundbreaking storylines about mental health before redefining the genre on The Bold and the Beautiful as the indomitable Stephanie Forrester. Stephanie was a force—unyielding, fiercely protective, and unapologetically complex—traits that Flannery herself brought to her directing and mentorship behind the scenes.

These three women have known each other not just as colleagues, but as survivors of an industry that can be as cutthroat off-screen as it is in the scripts. Their connection is a bond born of late-night line rehearsals, mutual advocacy for stronger female storylines, and decades of shared victories and losses—both real and scripted.

Past and Present Collide

In a masterstroke of sentiment, Hayes paired her deli photo with a throwback image from the 1970s—three women in their prime, their glamorous hair and sharp expressions ready for whatever chaos Salem had to offer.

Back then, they were forces on the rise. Now, they are living legacies. The juxtaposition was stark: the youthful fire of yesterday mirrored against the wisdom and grace of today. It was a reminder of just how rare lasting friendships are in a business built on fleeting alliances and relentless reinvention.

The Fans React—And the Memories Flood In

The moment Susan posted the image, the soap opera community erupted. Instagram comments poured in, layered with nostalgia and raw emotion. On X (formerly Twitter), hashtags honoring Flannery trended, with fans sharing favorite Days and B&B moments—Stephanie Forrester’s epic confrontations, Laura Horton’s quiet strength, Julie Williams’ fiery resilience.

Many couldn’t help but express the bittersweet ache of seeing Flannery go. Some recalled her mentorship of younger actors, others praised her groundbreaking portrayal of strong, layered women in a genre too often content with stereotypes. A few wondered—half-seriously—if this was all a setup for a surprise Australian soap crossover.

Why This Goodbye Feels Different

Soap opera fans are no strangers to goodbyes. Characters die, return, vanish, and reappear with suspiciously altered faces. But this farewell is different—it’s not scripted, not part of some clever cliffhanger. It’s a real-world turning of the page, and in soaps, reality has its own unique sting.

For Seaforth Hayes, the post wasn’t just about marking Flannery’s departure—it was about showing the continuity of their sisterhood, a relationship that has weathered everything from creative disagreements to personal loss. For Rogers, it was about honoring the woman who helped her find her footing in the high-pressure Days environment. And for fans, it was a chance to see their idols not as characters, but as women whose journeys mirror the resilience of the very characters they’ve played.

The Ripple Effect

Flannery’s move raises tantalizing questions for fans. Could this be a prelude to a return—perhaps as a guest star in an Australian drama? Could Hayes and Rogers one day make the trip to reunite Down Under, gifting fans another moment of heartfelt nostalgia?

What’s certain is that the breakfast marked a milestone not just in their lives, but in soap opera history. It reminded fans that behind the constant churn of TV drama are human stories—stories of aging gracefully in the spotlight, of navigating reinvention, of finding new chapters even when the world thinks the book is closed.

The End of an Era, the Start of Another

As the plates were cleared and the three Suzies posed for what may be their last in-person photo for years, there was a quiet dignity to the moment. It wasn’t flashy, it wasn’t scripted—but it was real.

And in a world where characters rise from the dead and villains are unmasked daily, reality has a drama all its own.

For now, fans will replay Flannery’s most iconic moments, revisit Hayes’ decades of storylines, and savor Rogers’ heartfelt performances, knowing that while the industry evolves and the players change, the bonds forged in Salem—and beyond—are forever.

Susan Seaforth Hayes’ post wasn’t just a nostalgic nod to the past. It was a love letter to the unbreakable sisterhood that has carried these women through the highs and lows of life in the public eye. And for devoted viewers, it was a reminder that sometimes, the most powerful stories are the ones that happen when the cameras aren’t rolling.