The One Chicago franchise features characters running into burning buildings, chasing down dangerous criminals, and treating patients in the emergency department of one of the city’s biggest hospitals. So, while some jobs are more perilous than others (looking at you, Chicago Fire), death is all around the characters. They lose people almost every season. Of course, some characters leave the One Chicago universe in one piece, but that doesn’t make their exits hurt any less. No matter how they leave, significant characters departing their respective series will always be upsetting.
10Leslie Shay
Played By Lauren German
Leslie Shay’s tragic death in Chicago Fire season 3 was the One Chicago franchise’s first major loss, and it still stings to this day. During the season 2 finale, almost the entire Firehouse 51 crew (sans Chief Boden) entered a building that seemingly only had a small fire inside. However, an explosion wracked the structure, leaving the audience wondering the fates of several characters. Unfortunately, they had to wait a few months until the season 3 premiere, which revealed that Shay had died in the explosion.
Stella Kidd and Kelly Severide learn shocking news during the Chicago Fire season 13 finale, and the development saves their latest story.
A falling pipe had struck Shay in the head, and there was no saving her (no matter how hard Gabby Dawson tried). The entire firehouse was left stunned by the loss of Shay, as was the audience. Watching the Chicago Fire characters, especially Kelly Severide, grieve Shay was heartwrenching, and even after all these seasons, Shay’s death is arguably the most devastating.
9Brian “Otis” Zvonecek
Played By Yuri Sardarov
The other character competing for Chicago Fire‘s most heartbreaking death is Brian “Otis” Zvonecek. Like Shay, Otis had been around since the show’s beginning. However, he lasted a few more seasons than the paramedic, as he died during the season 8 premiere, much to everyone’s surprise. Otis was a mainstay character, and his departure was certainly a hard pill to swallow.
8Chief Wallace Boden
Played By Eamonn Walker
Thankfully, Eamonn Walker’s Chief Wallace Boden didn’t die when he left Chicago Fire. Nevertheless, his departure was quite upsetting. Boden had served as Firehouse 51’s chief since season 1, and it felt like it would always be that way. But, everything changed during the season 12 finale when Boden accepted a new position as the Chicago Fire Department’s Deputy Commissioner.
Boden can no longer be regularly seen hanging around Firehouse 51, as Dermot Mulroney’s Chief Dom Pascal is now in charge, and that has been difficult getting used to.
Thankfully, the new role meant that Boden could realistically return to Chicago Fire, even after his exit (like in season 13, episode 18). His absence is still significant in the NBC procedural drama, though. Boden can no longer be regularly seen hanging around Firehouse 51, as Dermot Mulroney’s Chief Dom Pascal is now in charge, and that has been difficult getting used to.
7Darren Ritter
Played By Daniel Kyri
