Chicago Fire honors Dale Hay (Dedication explained)

The second episode of Chicago Fire season 12, "Call Me McHolland", gave fans a lot to process and think about.

The episode saw Cruz considering leaving 51 and taking the lieutenant's test. Brett's wedding planning continued as she searched to find the perfect venue for her upcoming wedding to Casey. We officially met Gallo's replacement with the introduction of Rome Flynn's Derrick Gibson. Oh, and Herrmann's future at 51 remains up in the air after we discovered that his hearing has been damaged as the result of the explosion from the season premiere.

In addition to the many questions the actual episode left fans with, there was one additional question on the minds of fans following the episode. We're referring to the dedication card that appeared at the end of the episode which was designed to honor a fallen member of the One Chicago family.

Dale Hay Chicago Fire dedication explained

Following Chicago Fire season 12 episode 2, "Call Me McHolland", the message "In Memory of Dale Hay" flashed across the screen before the normal credits and promo for the episode appeared. Dedication cards are a common practice in TV, used to honor members of a show's cast and creative team who have passed away.

As NBC confirmed to One Chicago Center, Dale Hay was part of the Chicago Fire construction team who work tirelessly behind the scenes to help set the stage for the show we all know and love. Hay sadly passed away in late 2023.

Dedication cards are designed to honor those who helped make the show we all know and love as a way to celebrate their lives and pay respect to their family. As fans know, One Chicago is all about family so it's not uncommon for the One Chicago shows to honor fallen members of the crew who might not be household names but who played a role in helping to bring the show we all know and love to our screens.

Clearly, Hay left an impact on the Chicago Fire family and the dedication was a touching way to honor his legacy.

On behalf of everyone here at One Chicago Center, our thoughts are with Hay's family and friends.