How many kids does Cruz have on Chicago Fire?

Joe Cruz (Joe Minoso) is a family man. He’s gone from comedic relief to father figure on Chicago Fire, and the show has done a great job of transitioning him into this new role without getting rid of the things that make him so beloved.

Cruz’s family life has been at the forefront of recent episodes, mainly because he’s trying to adopt Javi (Carlos Santiago Sanchez) after meeting the child under stressful circumstances. There was some uncertainty as to whether the adoption would be able to go through, but thankfully, it was finalized at the end of the episode “Angry Is Easier.”

So many kids does Cruz have now? Well, let’s break it down.

Does Cruz have kids on Chicago Fire?

Cruz and his wife Chloe (Kristen Gutoskie) got married at the tail end of season 8, and season 10 saw them give birth to their first (and to date, only biological) child. He was introduced to the 51 squad in the show’s two hundredth episode, when it was revealed that his name would be Brian “Otis” Cruz, in honor of Cruz’s fallen friend Otis (Yuri Sartarov).

It was a great way to honor a character that Chicago Fire fans still mourned, while moving on with the future generation of characters. Cruz and Chloe seem to have mastered the parenting thing as far as Otis is concerned, but they took on an entirely different challenge when Javi entered their lives.

Watch One Chicago on fuboTV: Watch over 67 live sports and entertainment channels with a 7-day FREE trial!

Javi survived a fire that Cruz responded to, and the latter agreed to watch over him until his family was able to come get him. During the time that Javi stayed with the Cruz family, however, they all started to bond, and eventually the idea was floated that Javi be officially adopted by them.

Adoption can be a long and tricky process, and there a decent amount of season 11 screen time has been dedicated to the stress that Cruz and Chloe are enduring, but everything turned out in the end. Javi was adopted, and the Cruzes got to add another member to their family.

As of season 11, the Cruz family has two children: Otis and Javi.

For the latest Chicago Fire season 11 spoilers and news, plus more on the entire series, follow the Chicago Fire category at One Chicago Center.