Who is Anna on Chicago Fire? (How did she die?)

Chicago Fire has put its characters through the ringer in season 11. Violet (Hanako Greensmith) is still reeling from the death of her boyfriend Hawkins (Jimmy Nicholas), and despite her best effort the trauma shines through.

It’ll obviously take a while for Violet to process what happened, given that she witnessed Hawkins flatline, but the episode “The Center of the Universe” included a sweet exchange and a reference to a character that fans haven’t heard about in years: Anna Turner.

Here’s what you need to know about the deceased firefighter.

What happened to Anna on Chicago Fire?

Anna Turner (Charlotte Sullivan) worked out of the 51. She first appeared in season five, and despite her personal struggles with leukemia, proved to be a capable firefighter. She met Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney) when he donated bone marrow to her, and they quickly struck up a romance.

Despite the best efforts of doctors and the support of those around her, Anna succumbed to her illness in the season five episode “Carry Me.” Severide was by her side when she passed, and he tried to get the doctors to resuscitate her, but her DNR prevented them from doing so.

The sense of loss that Severide felt came back in a beautiful way when he sat Violet down. He told her about what happened with Anna, and offered some words of advice when it came to moving on from the death of a loved one.

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"“The two toughest things I’ve been through are losing [Leslie] Shay and losing her”, he said. “And for the longest time, after Anna died, I felt like a boat cut loose from the dock. Just lost, nothing to hold on to.”"

The character then assured Violet that staying committed to work, and accepting the company of co-workers, is what’s going to get her through this difficult time.

"“I saw Anna wherever I went, too, for the longest time”, he added. “But what I saw even clearer right in front of me was my crew at 51. Always bugging me, checking in on me. I wanted to kill them half the time, but I knew if I started to drift, they’d hold on tight.”"

It’s a devastatingly powerful scene, and a rare one given how infrequently Severide and Violet have one-on-one scenes. It’s both a beacon of hope for the future and a tip of the cap to an old character who met a tragic end.

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

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