Days of Our Lives fans just watched Theresa Donovan make a sudden and emotional exit from Salem. Emily O’Brien, who portrays the character, recently explained the heartfelt reason behind Theresa’s departure—and it has nothing to do with Tate’s ongoing drama.
In a recent episode, Theresa’s father Shane broke the news that her mother, Kimberly, is facing a devastating health crisis. Her cancer has returned, and it’s serious. Emily O’Brien confirmed that Kimberly’s diagnosis is terminal. “I think she has terminal cancer, Stage Four,” she told Soaps.com. That revelation drives Theresa to drop everything and head to California. “I can’t think about anything else except to just go and take care of my mother in California right now,” O’Brien explained.
Theresa had been dealing with major stress back in Salem, especially surrounding her son Tate’s surprise baby news. But her mother’s illness shifts her focus completely. O’Brien added, “She has to kind of put [Tate’s fatherhood] to the side because of how serious the cancer is with her mother. She is essentially giving up everything to go and be with her in California.” With that, Theresa makes what O’Brien calls her “farewell swan song in town.”
Although Theresa is leaving, things between her and Brady are calm—for once. The former couple seems to be in a better place than usual. “I think there’s going to be this bond between the two of them, this love that they’re always gonna have for each other,” O’Brien shared. Still, Theresa’s priority is clear. Her mother needs her, and she’s not willing to let anything stand in the way of that.
While this exit feels like a goodbye, fans shouldn’t worry too much. Emily O’Brien is set to return to Days of Our Lives this summer in her original role as Gwen Rizczech. And who knows? Maybe Theresa will be back too, especially with that secret baby storyline still unresolved. For all the latest updates on Theresa, Gwen, and the rest of Salem, keep checking Soap Opera Daily.
