Courtesy/NBC

Earlier in the week, On-Air On-Soaps gave major kudos to the cast of Days of our Lives for their performances when many key characters in Salem learned that Will Horton (Guy Wilson) had been murdered by the necktie serial killer (Ben Weston). But once the action picked-up in later episodes, in particular on Thursday and Friday, it was Freddie Smith’s performance of Sonny Kiriakis, and Alison Sweeney’s performance as Sami, that truly broke our hearts.

Sonny had finally arrived in Salem from Paris grief-stricken.  He lost his husband, the man he was intending on coming back to town to make things right with.  Instead, he is coming back to Salem to bury him.  As Sonny made his way through Salem, he first stops by to see his mother, Adrienne (Judi Evans) and his father, Justin (Wally Kurth) for some tears and hugs.  He then made his way to the apartment he shared with Will.   Once inside, nothing made us reach for the hankies more, during this sad week of air shows, than when Sonny nearly collapsed on the floor of the crime scene in anguish … in the most gutwrenching of cries.  Gabi (Camila Banus), who was there, hugs Sonny and he asks to be alone.   Later, Paul (Christopher Sean) shows up to try to comfort him, but to no avail.  Sonny also goes to the hospital where he sees Abigail (Kate Mansi) and learns where Chad’s (Billy Flynn) room is.  He tells Abigail he cannot comprehend how Chad could kill Will.  “He was my best friend, and Will’s,” is what Sonny basically relates to Abby.  Thus far, Sonny has not been able to face his daughter Arianna … Will and Gabi’s bio-child he helped raise!

Courtesy/NBC

Then we have Will’s mother, Sami who is dealing with her grief by barely grieving at all.  However, she too lost it when she visited Will’s apartment, and wound up on the ground looking at the crime scene, and flashing back to her younger days caring for baby Will!  It was a tearjerker.  Sami also lets out some major tears at Will’s.  As Marlena (Deidre Hall), Brady (Eric Martsolf) and Eric (Greg Vaughan) try to help Sami  … kick,  scream, cry and let it all out, she becomes even more removed from her emotions.  Later, Sami wants to take her anger towards Stefano (Joe Mascolo) and the DiMeras, and put it good use to snuff out Chad’s life with a pillow, while getting into his hospital room.  Marlena eventually happens upon the scene and stops her.  When Sami goes to rest at John (Drake Hogestyn) and Marlena’s, she goes through a bundle of mail Marlena had been keeping for her, and it it contained a letter from EJ !  Will Sami check out what’s contained in the safety deposit box from the key EJ left her in the letter?  Stay tuned.  Sami has had to cope, and try to come to terms, with two deaths in the last year – her husband and her first- born son.  How Sweeney plays Sami, as she tries to pull it together, and then despite of herself has a moment of heartbreak and emotion has made also for emotional viewing for DAYS viewers.

Will’s funeral begins next week as Sonny, Sami, and Lucas (Bryan Dattilo) have to bury their husband, and their child, respectively.  We are sure hankies will be needed in droves for that, as well.

So, what did you think of the performances of Freddie Smith and Alison Sweeney on last week’s episodes of Days of our Lives?  Do you wish they were staying on the series longer than their short visits? What moment make you reach for the hankies?  Hard to imagine after seeing Sonny’s reaction, but  … WilSon is no more.  Share your thoughts in the comment section below!