And she could have been referring to Mickey!
I went to several places yesterday, that do character bios........They all talk of When Neil arrived, and the last time we saw him, as he went on rounds. I remember that scene. NONE said Neil Curtis had died, or was thought dead, or anything like that. Perhaps the show intended a throwaway line indicating he was no longer among the living but they did not. (And to tell the truth, After Tom Horton passed away, I would have much preferred Neil Curtis to have been named Chief of Staff. But, Days has to do some weird stuff with their budget limits.