Adam Ruzek (Patrick John Flueger) is a busy man. He's juggling being a father and a police officer with an impending marriage to another officer, Kim Burgess (Marina Squerciati). He's seen the death of a friend in Chicago PD season 12, and the departure of several others over the years.
Well, Ruzek's life got even harder in the season 12 episode "Zoe." The character took center stage in terms of the IU case, but it was the personal scenes that really made it one of the most important for the character in quite a while. Ruzek's father, Bob (Jack Coleman) showed up, and revealed something that will radically alter the character's life moving forward.
Ruzek's father Bob has Alzheimer's Disease
Bob revealed that he has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. The character is initially hesitant to share his secret with his son, given how tense their interactions have been in the past. A moment of truth comes, however, after Ruzek begins to notice his father's odd behavior.
Ruzek insisted that his father move in with him, Burgess, and their daughter Makayla (Ramona Edith Williams). Bob was initially hesitant, fearing that he would be a burden on the family. He also balked at the idea of Ruzek seeing his deteriorating mental state. The former police officer relented, though, and agreed to move in by the end of the episode.
This is a pretty devastating change for Ruzek and Burgess, especially as they struggle to juggle their professional lives with the planning of their impending wedding. There was not a lot of time before but there is absolutely less of it now.
Bob is moving in with Ruzek and Burgess
Patrick John Flueger, the actor who plays Ruzek, spoke to TV Line about the familial revelation, and he admitted that it's going to take a while for his character to fully process. “He loves his dad very, very much," Flueger noted. "And to find out that things are going to go south for him, I think, is soul-crushing."
Bob and Burgess have never had the closest relationship, but it's a testament to the latter that she is fully onboard with bringing him into the house. "She’s totally supportive," Flueger added. "I think she wants him there for all of the reasons Adam does. I think she is going to be more protective, and she is going to be more cognizant."
We did not see an Alzheimer's storyline coming on Chicago PD, but we're curious to see how this impacts Ruzek's life, in ways both positive and negative, moving forward.