Who knows where the Windy City would be without the power of Firehouse 51’s chief, played by Eamonn Walker.
Every firehouse demands a fearless leader to call the shots and Chicago Fire fans will agree that Wallace Boden (Eamonn Walker) is a force with which to be reckoned, as well as the linchpin to hundreds of successful rescue missions.
Read on to relive Wallace Boden’s incredible Chicago Fire journey as Firehouse 51’s courageous leader.
When did Wallace Boden first appear on Chicago Fire?
Boden was introduced in the very first episode of Chicago Fire, and it was immediately clear he was the glue that held Firehouse 51 together.
A veteran first responder, Boden has always led from the front, never hesitating to run into a blazing inferno if his team needed assistance. It quickly became clear that he was fiercely loyal and endlessly driven to excellence — a far cry from some other commanders who would simply bark orders from their command towers during nail-biting calls.
Since his debut, he climbed the ranks from Captain to Battalion Chief and eventually to his Season 12 post as Deputy District Chief.
Along the way, fans learned that Boden had been good friends with Benny Severide (Treat Williams), the father of 51’s Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney). Though Severide’s dad had failed to be much of a father figure to his son, Boden mentored the younger Severide, helping him navigate dozens of conundrums in and out of their line of duty.
Many a firefighter has climbed the ranks of the CFD thanks to Boden’s unparalleled advice — but almost as many foes have tried to go after Boden’s reputation and his job.
What happened between Wallace Boden and Finance Director Gail McLeod?
In Season 2 of Chicago Fire, Boden’s position at Firehouse 51 was jeopardized after Deputy Director of Finance Gail McLeod (Michelle Forbes) cut corners around the station, suggested closing it, and pressured Boden to resign. She eventually presented Boden with a deal: He could take a retirement package and thus save Firehouse 51. Boden contemplated the arrangement, strictly for the sake of those who served there and ultimately accepted the offer following a health scare.
But at the last minute, Boden changed his mind — a smart move considering it was eventually revealed McLeod was only defunding 51 to line her own pockets, and was forced to stop.
What happened to Donna Robbins Boden, Chicago Fire Chief Wallace Boden’s wife?
At the start of the series, Boden was a decidedly single divorcé, but the tides began to turn for Boden in Season 2, Episode 12 (“Out with a Bang”). That’s when he helped out a civilian named Donna Robbins (Melissa Ponzio) after she voiced complaints about her neglectful landlord. After saying thanks to Boden with a homecooked meal, he learned Donna was a single school teacher, and their relationship soared from there.
Sadly, Boden’s relationship history initially held him back from exploring a deeper relationship with Donna and, in Season 2, Episode 14 (“Virgin Skin”), he broke things off. Fate, however, had other plans: Donna was already pregnant with Boden’s child, and he realized that being with Donna and having a family would be a good thing for all involved.
But he screwed up his proposal by telling her that he would be happy to support and provide for her and the kid, and she turned him down because she wanted more than a provider.
In Season 2, Episode 21 (“One More Shot”), after realizing a future with Donna was what he truly wanted, he got a family ring ready with a big question in mind. Driving the firetruck, Boden showed up to Donna’s school in full uniform to provide the heartfelt proposal she deserved. Donna happily accepted, much to an elated Boden’s delight.
The two got married in Season 2, Episode 22 (“Real Never Waits”) in a ceremony hosted at Firehouse 51, surrounded by Boden’s colleagues. The wedding was a fateful occasion for all: Matt Casey (Jesse Spencer) proposed to Gabby Dawson (Monica Raymund), and Randall “Mouch” McHolland (Christian Stolte) met his future wife, Chicago P.D.‘s Trudy Platt (Amy Morton), during the reception.
Who is Chicago Fire Chief Wallace Boden’s ex-wife, Shonda?
Boden’s ex-wife from prior to Chicago Fire was Shonda (Shanesia Davis). While the two were married, he helped raise his stepson, Jimmy (Juan Lozada), but Shonda objected to Boden continuing to see Jimmy following the divorce. (More on that below.)
She first appeared in Season 1 when Boden attempted to reconnect with Jimmy despite her objections, though he was not immediately able to maintain the relationship with his former stepson.
Shonda turned up in Boden’s life again in Season 5, when Jimmy — who had started going by James — sought help from the Bodens to escape his mother’s abusive boyfriend in Episode 7 (“Lift Each Other”). Shonda ultimately ended the relationship with the boyfriend once she learned of the abuse, and she and James went to live with her mother.
In Chicago Fire Season 12, Episode 4 (“The Little Things”), James came to tell Boden that Shonda had gotten arrested on drug trafficking changes and, on the advice of her public defender, was considering a plea in exchange for three to five years in prison. He asked for Boden’s help to hire a lawyer to beat the charges and Boden agreed.
But, when Boden visited Shonda in jail to tell her he was looking for help to fight the case, she confessed to being guilty of the crime and was adamant about taking the plea because she understood the severity of her actions. She did, however, not want him to tell James… which he did anyway.
In the end, it was clear Shonda was heading to federal prison and James was going to be spending more time with his ex-stepfather.
Who is Wallace Boden’s stepson, James, on Chicago Fire?
In Season 1, Episode 13 (“Warm and Dead”), Boden revealed he’d become a stepfather when he married his ex-wife, Shonda, and her son Jimmy was only 3 years old. He had been adamant about Jimmy calling him “Dad” and never referring to the boy as his stepson, but, once the marriage ended, Shonda had attempted to keep the two apart. However, they briefly reunited in that episode, only for James to cut ties in Season 2 when he learned of Boden’s relationship with Donna.
Jimmy made a return in Season 5 of Chicago Fire — this time preferring to go by his given name, James. After Boden reached out again, a 17-year-old James unexpectedly showed up at the Boden house in Season 5, Episode 5 (“I Held Her Hand”).
The family was happy to welcome James into the fold and, after shadowing Boden at the firehouse in Episode 7 (“Lift Each Other”), James asked to spend his senior year living with Boden’s family instead of Shonda and her new boyfriend, to which Shonda agreed. Boden was willing to take on the challenge of a teenager but only under one condition: James had to tell him the truth. That’s when James admitted that Shonda’s new boyfriend had been abusing him, and Boden paid the man a visit that resulted in violence (for which Boden earned a suspension). Shonda ultimately reconciled with James, saying she hadn’t known of the abuse, and two left to live with her mother.
In Chicago Fire Season 12, Episode 4 (“The Little Things”), Boden received another bittersweet visit from his stepson, who asked Boden to help pay for a lawyer to fight drug trafficking charges that Shonda was facing. Boden was willing to do so but Shonda refused, saying she was going to take a plea deal because she was guilty but didn’t want James to know.
Boden told James anyway, and the young man struggled to stomach the reality of his mother’s fall from grace. After James came to terms with his mother’s actions, Boden reminded his stepson that the family home is always open to him.
Who is Wallace Boden’s son, Terrance Boden, on Chicago Fire?
Boden and Donna’s child, Terrance Boden (most recently played by Lennox Simms), was born in Season 3, Episode 12 (“Santa Bites”). As Boden and Donna playfully bickered about baby names during one of Donna’s visits to the station, Donna suddenly went into labor. Boden whisked Donna into one of the firetrucks to take her to the hospital, but hit traffic and Donna was forced to deliver the baby in the back of the vehicle.
The delivery nonetheless went off without a hitch until the couple arrived at the hospital and realized their newborn boy had turned blue. Boden was floored by the tragic development — but Terrance was a fighter and eventually pulled through.
Who was Wallace Boden’s father, Wallace Boden Sr., on Chicago Fire?
Boden didn’t always have the strongest relationship with his father, Wallace Boden, Sr. (Richard Roundtree), but the birth of Terrance prompted the elder man to seek out his new grandson in Season 3, Episode 11 (“Let Him Die”) and begin bridging the gap with his own son.
Though the two men hadn’t spoken in years, Wallace Sr. came to stay at the Boden family house while bonding with Terrance in Season 3, Episode 13 (“Three Bells”). After dodging Boden’s questions about how long he planned to stay, Boden learned Wallace had been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer and didn’t expect to live for much longer. Boden did everything he could to urge his father to pursue more aggressive chemotherapy treatments, but Wallace Sr. refused.
In honor of his father, Boden and Christopher Herrmann (David Eigenberg) revived the semi-annual Winter Luau at Molly’s in Season 3, Episode 14 (“Call It Paradise”). While attending the party, Boden and his father shared a drink and a wholesome chat before the family returned home for the night. After Boden left to put Terrance to bed, he was devastated to discover that his father had passed away while holding the Boden family photo albums.
When was Wallace Boden promoted to District Deputy Chief on Chicago Fire?
In Season 10, Episode 1 (“Mayday”), after promoting Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) to lieutenant, Boden accepted an offer to leave Firehouse 51 to become Deputy District Chief for District 4 in order to prevent Kidd from having to leave the station herself.
Boden’s former secretary, Kylie (Katelynn Shennett), however, spotted a loophole in the regulation that sent Boden across town. In Season 10, Episode 5 (“Two Hundred”), Kylie realized that, due to several firehouses closing in the district, Firehouse 51 had technically become the new center of the district map.
After a quick verification of CFD regulations, she discovered the district office must be the center-most station, for the District Chief to be able to efficiently visit firehouses. With Firehouse 51 as the current center-most locale for the district, Boden was able to move the deputy’s office to Firehouse 51 to reunite with his station loved ones.
What happened to Wallace Boden in Season 12 of Chicago Fire?
Boden has watched several talented firefighters come and go over the years, but Season 12 included some particularly difficult Firehouse 51 goodbyes. In the Season 12 premiere (“Barely Gone”), Boden bid farewell to Blake Gallo (Alberto Rosende) while also preparing for the bittersweet exit of 51 paramedic Sylvie Brett (Kara Killmer), who was planning to get marriage. Meanwhile, Joe Cruz (Joe Minoso) also expressed interest in leaving 51 to become a Lieutenant in Season 12, Episode 2 (“Call Me McHolland”). Sensing the unrest within the station, Boden took it upon himself to deliver a heartwarming message to his crew, reminding them all that Firehouse 51 is “truly unique.”
“Here is what we need to and can face together,” Boden told them. “Nothing stays the same forever. Change is inevitable. People will come and go from this firehouse and from our lives. There will be welcome backs, there will be hellos, and there will be goodbyes. Anyone who’s been a part of 51 will always be a part of 51, and that is something you can hold on to, no matter what else is changing around us.”
