Jimmy Nicholas thanks Chicago Fire ‘family’ in heartfelt post

Jimmy Nicholas wins the silver medal for most heartbreaking Chicago Fire death (Yuri Sardarov is still the gold standard). He gave us a quietly wonderful character in Chief Hawkins, and seeing him go so prematurely still has fans shaken up.

Thankfully, Nicholas has been active on social media and helped ease the pain of Hawkins’s death. He already thanked fans on Twitter for their support and their kind words regarding his acting, and now he’s posted a lengthier farewell on Instagram.

Here’s what the actor had to say.

Chief Hawkins leaving Chicago Fire

Nicholas posted a series of photos from his last episode and what appears to be his goodbye party. One photo shows him in costume as Hawkins, and reading a cake that says: “Our hearts are crushed to see you go.” The wording is ironic, of course, given that Hawkins was crushed by a huge building collapse.

The other photos show Nicholas outside and at a hockey game with fellow Chicago Fire cast mates Hanako Greensmith, Miranda Rae Mayo, Alberto Rosende, and Daniel Kyri among others. The biggest revelations in the post, though, came from Nicholas’ written statement.

In the statement, the actor reflects on his time as Hawkins, and highlights how much he enjoyed becoming a part of the One Chicago family.

"“This is not normal in tv. This is not a normal film set”, Nicholas wrote. “The level of connection and love isn’t a normalcy in this business, in fact it’s a rarity… Everyone made me feel like I was one of them and that I was already part of that family, regardless of how long I was there to stay. I will miss that family, dearly.”"

Nicholas also confirmed that he will continue to watch and support the show, given how much his role meant and how close he remains with many of the cast and crew members.

"“You’re all rockstars in my book and no matter where you go, or what you do, I’ll be cheering you on as hard as I can”, he added. “We’re family.”"

As if there were still any dry eyes left in the house. Hawkins’s may have gone too soon, but we’re thankful we got to see the character and the performance by Nicholas at all.

What do you hope to see in the Chicago Fire season 11 premiere? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

For the latest Chicago Fire spoilers and news, plus more on the entire series, follow the Chicago Fire category at One Chicago Center.