“It’s Time to Take a Break”: Susan Seaforth Hayes Drops Heart-Stopping News — and DOOL Fans Are Breathing Again
“It’s Time to Take a Break”: Susan Seaforth Hayes Drops Heart-Stopping News — and DOOL Fans Are Breathing Again
By TV Drama Digest – Special Feature
For more than half a century, Susan Seaforth Hayes has been the beating heart of Days of Our Lives. As Julie Williams, she has survived decades of Salem chaos—kidnappings, feuds, forbidden love, resurrected villains, family wars, and enough heartbreak to fill twenty lifetimes. But this week, the drama wasn’t happening in Horton Town Square or the iconic living room of the Horton home.
It was happening in Susan’s real life.
And when Susan said the words “It’s time to take a break,” thousands of DOOL fans felt their hearts stop.
Rumors exploded across social media—
Was Julie leaving?
Was Susan retiring?
Was this the end of a legendary era?
The answer, as it turns out, is far more emotional… and far more uplifting.
NO GOODBYES — ONLY GRATITUDE
Let’s get this out of the way:
✔ Susan Seaforth Hayes is NOT leaving Days of Our Lives.
✔ Julie Williams is here to stay.
✔ No farewell episodes. No swan songs. No shock exits.
Instead, Susan opened up with a message so heartfelt, so sincere, that it quieted the rumor mill instantly and replaced fear with warmth.
This wasn’t a retirement announcement.
It was a love letter.
A love letter to her castmates, to her fans, and especially to one man who has touched her life in the most unexpected and deeply personal way: Lamon Archey, the actor who plays Eli Grant.
THE ONSCREEN NEPHEW WHO BECAME FAMILY IN REAL LIFE
When the Days writers revealed years ago that Eli Grant was Julie’s long-lost grandson, fans celebrated the storyline. But behind the cameras, something even more beautiful happened:
Lamon and Susan formed a real family bond.
They didn’t just play relatives—they became relatives in spirit.
Susan speaks of Lamon in a way that makes the entire fanbase melt.
She calls him “beautiful inside and out… a man of kindness, integrity, and quiet strength.”
He’s not just a co-star to her.
He’s a confidant.
A friend.
A steady, grounding presence who helped her through the most devastating chapter of her life.
THE GIFT THAT BROKE HER HEART — AND HEALED IT
In early 2024, Susan lost her husband of nearly 50 years—Bill Hayes, the beloved actor who played Doug Williams, her real and fictional soulmate. Their love story was one of the defining romances in television history.
His passing shattered the DOOL family… and left Susan navigating grief no script could prepare her for.
But then came a moment so tender it could have been written for an Emmy reel.
Lamon sent Susan a gift:
A delicate wind chime engraved with the words:
“Every time this bell rings, remember me.”
She placed it in her garden—her sanctuary, her quiet corner of peace—and now, each soft chime is like Bill whispering from beyond.
Susan said simply:
“Every time I walk past it, I thank him again.”
A small gesture. A massive impact. A reminder that true kindness doesn’t need a spotlight.
AND SUSAN HAD MORE PRAISE TO GIVE…
If you know Susan, you know her admiration is never limited to one person.
Her heart is too big for that.
She also poured love over Sal Stowers, who plays Eli’s fierce, radiant wife Lani Price Grant.
Her words?
“A walking, talking, beautiful goddess.”
The warmth between Susan, Lamon, and Sal isn’t just professional chemistry—
It’s family.
It’s legacy.
It’s what keeps Days of Our Lives alive after nearly sixty years.
Their on-screen dynamic—Eli and Lani’s devotion, their family drama, their struggles, their triumphs—has mirrored real-life mutual respect and affection behind the camera.
WHY THIS MOMENT MATTERS TO DOOL’S HISTORY
As Days continues its bold new era on Peacock, the show thrives on a delicate balance:
Honoring decades of history while forging fresh emotional ground.
Susan Seaforth Hayes stands at the perfect intersection of both.
She is the bridge from the show’s golden beginnings in the 1960s…
to its ambitious streaming-age storytelling in the 2020s.
Her presence is the heartbeat of Salem.
Her wisdom shapes the next generation.
Her kindness lifts the cast behind the scenes.
And her reminder to “take a break” wasn’t about leaving.
It was about pausing to honor love, gratitude, and the people who carry us when scripts fade and cameras stop rolling.
A MESSAGE TO FANS: THIS FAMILY IS STILL TOGETHER
Susan’s reflections have sparked waves of emotion on social media:
• Fans remembering Julie’s biggest storylines
• Tributes to Bill Hayes’ extraordinary legacy
• Artwork of Eli, Lani, and Julie as a modern DOOL family
• Messages praising Lamon’s compassion
• Celebrations of the show’s intergenerational bonds
And through it all, Susan’s voice rises with clarity and comfort:
She’s not going anywhere.
She loves her cast.
She loves her fans.
And Salem remains her home.
THE WOMAN, THE LEGACY, THE HEART OF DOOL
Susan Seaforth Hayes has spent over five decades breathing life into Julie Williams—
a woman who rose from troubled teen to beloved matriarch.
But perhaps her most powerful storyline is the one we’re witnessing right now:
A story of resilience, remembrance, and the beautiful connections that hold the cast of Days of Our Lives together in real life.
Fans feared an ending.
What they got was a celebration.
A reminder that behind every dramatic twist and cliffhanger lies a family—
one that grieves together, laughs together, and supports one another through the hardest chapters life can write.
And Susan, with her wind chime singing softly in the breeze, is still part of that story.
Still standing.
Still shining.
Still a legend of daytime television.
