Jennifer Aniston has reminded us that our lives are truly like sands through the hourglass.
The “Friends” alum confirmed Monday on Instagram that her father, “Days of Our Lives” star John Aniston, died on Friday at age 89.
“Sweet papa… John Anthony Aniston,” she captioned a slideshow of photos of the father and daughter. “You were one of the most beautiful humans I ever knew. I am so grateful that you went soaring into the heavens in peace — and without pain. And on 11/11 no less! You always had perfect timing. That number will forever hold an even greater meaning for me now 🕊️I’ll love you till the end of time💔”
She concluded her post by saying:
“Don’t forget to visit 💫🤗❤️”
The “Days of Our Lives” official Twitter account also confirmed Aniston’s death.
“Our hearts are broken over the loss of our beloved family member John Aniston,” the tweet read. “We love you John. Your legend will live on.”
John Aniston began his illustrious career on “Days of Our Lives” in 1970, playing Dr. Eric Richards. After a few other roles on daytime dramas, he returned to the show in 1985 as the now-iconic Victor Kiriakis. An episode featuring Aniston, likely taped months ago, aired the day he died, per IMDb.
John Aniston was born Yannis Anastassakis on the isle of Crete in Greece in 1933. His family settled in the United States when he was 2, per Soap Opera Digest. His character on “Days,” Kiriakis, also was Greek.
John Aniston’s other TV credits included “Mad Men,” “The Paul Reiser Show,” “American Dreams,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Diagnosis Murder,” “Kojak,” “Love of Life,” “Search for Tomorrow” and “My Big Fat Greek Life.”
Steve Granitz via Getty Images
In June, he was honored with a Daytime Emmys Lifetime Achievement Award for his longstanding role on “Days of Our Lives.” John Aniston was unable to attend the ceremony, so his daughter, Jennifer Aniston, accepted the award on his behalf.
“This is truly a special moment for me,” Jennifer Aniston said at the ceremony. “It’s an opportunity to not only pay tribute to a true icon in the daytime television world, but it’s also a chance to recognize the lifelong achievements of a great and well-respected actor, who also happens to be my dad.”
She added that his career “is literally the definition of lifetime achievement.”
Although Jennifer and John Aniston had a complex relationship due to the way he split from Jennifer Aniston’s mother Nancy Dow, the two often spoke highly of one another.
“Jennifer is a natural talent,” John Aniston told E! News in 1990, before her famed turn as Rachel Greene in “Friends.”
“There are certain things you can learn in this business, and there are certain things you can’t learn,” John Aniston continued. “The comic instinct that she has in unerring. That’s her greatest asset.”
“She’s a neat girl,” John Aniston added to E!. “Even if she weren’t my daughter, I’d like her.”
