In Season 1, Episode 13 (“Warm and Dead”), Boden revealed he’d become a stepfather when he married his ex-wife, Shonda, and her son Jimmy was only 3 years old. He had been adamant about Jimmy calling him “Dad” and never referring to the boy as his stepson, but, once the marriage ended, Shonda had attempted to keep the two apart. However, they briefly reunited in that episode, only for James to cut ties in Season 2 when he learned of Boden’s relationship with Donna.

Jimmy made a return in Season 5 of Chicago Fire — this time preferring to go by his given name, James. After Boden reached out again, a 17-year-old James unexpectedly showed up at the Boden house in Season 5, Episode 5 (“I Held Her Hand”).

The family was happy to welcome James into the fold and, after shadowing Boden at the firehouse in Episode 7 (“Lift Each Other”), James asked to spend his senior year living with Boden’s family instead of Shonda and her new boyfriend, to which Shonda agreed. Boden was willing to take on the challenge of a teenager but only under one condition: James had to tell him the truth. That’s when James admitted that Shonda’s new boyfriend had been abusing him, and Boden paid the man a visit that resulted in violence (for which Boden earned a suspension). Shonda ultimately reconciled with James, saying she hadn’t known of the abuse, and two left to live with her mother.

In Chicago Fire Season 12, Episode 4 (“The Little Things”), Boden received another bittersweet visit from his stepson, who asked Boden to help pay for a lawyer to fight drug trafficking charges that Shonda was facing. Boden was willing to do so but Shonda refused, saying she was going to take a plea deal because she was guilty but didn’t want James to know.

Boden told James anyway, and the young man struggled to stomach the reality of his mother’s fall from grace. After James came to terms with his mother’s actions, Boden reminded his stepson that the family home is always open to him.

Who is Wallace Boden’s son, Terrance Boden, on Chicago Fire?
Boden and Donna’s child, Terrance Boden (most recently played by Lennox Simms), was born in Season 3, Episode 12 (“Santa Bites”). As Boden and Donna playfully bickered about baby names during one of Donna’s visits to the station, Donna suddenly went into labor. Boden whisked Donna into one of the firetrucks to take her to the hospital, but hit traffic and Donna was forced to deliver the baby in the back of the vehicle.

The delivery nonetheless went off without a hitch until the couple arrived at the hospital and realized their newborn boy had turned blue. Boden was floored by the tragic development — but Terrance was a fighter and eventually pulled through.