Chicago Fire fans saw a heartfelt tribute at the end of season 12's second episode 'Call Me McHolland,' as a title card appeared that simply read 'In Memory of Dale Hay'.
Dale Hay was a part of the construction team at Cinespace Chicago Film Studios; CineSpace is one of the largest sound stage and facilities operators, and it is where Chicago Fire, PD, and Med have all shot scenes across their seasons.
According to the obituary, Dale died at the age of 57 on September 8, 2023, in Northridge, Illinois; he is survived by his wife, Laurie Mpistolarides, and his three children: Dale III, Heather, and Jessica.
In lieu of flowers, Hay’s family asked for donations to be made to the American Cancer Society, according to the Cumberland Chapels website.
Dale's sad death however is not the only loss that the team have faced this past year, as Treat Williams tragically died in June 2023 after a motorcycle crash. News of his passing was confirmed by the actor's publicist of 15 years, Barry McPherson, who said in a statement: "He was killed this afternoon. He was making a left or a right [turn, and] a car cut him off."
The incident occurred near the southwestern Vermont town of Dorset, and Vermont State Police Department Public Information Officer Adam Silverman and Lt. Steve Coote, who held a virtual press conference to discuss the accident, later revealed that Treat was still alive when he was first being rushed to the hospital after the 5pm crash.
He was then airlifted by helicopter to Albany Medical Center in New York, and was pronounced dead after he arrived at the hospital. "Williams was unable to avoid a collision and was thrown from his motorcycle. He suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to Albany Medical Center in Albany, New York, where he was pronounced dead," Vermont State Police said.
Treat starred as Benny Severide in the NBC series, the father of Lieutenant Kelly Severide, played by Taylor Kinney.
The Chicago Fire actor shared a statement with HELLO! after the Hair actor was killed: "My thoughts and prayers are with Treat’s family. He played my father on Chicago Fire, and was a father figure to everyone on set. I’ll always relish our conversations and his uncanny ability to light up a room. We all send love, he will be missed."