While the One Chicago universe is filled with fan-favorite stars, there’s no denying that Lieutenant Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney) has long been the beating heart of Chicago Fire.
Severide’s journey on Chicago Fire not only showcased his heroism as a firefighter, but also gave the Chi-Hards a glimpse into the complicated lives of first responders between calls. Despite Severide’s rough childhood, Firehouse 51 soon became his family as he set out to become one of the most dedicated firefighters at CFD. Over the years, we’ve met more of Severide’s family and even watched him fall in love with and marry 51’s co-worker Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo).
RELATED ARTICLE: What Happened to Kelly Severide on Chicago Fire?
Severide’s CFD family has always been the family he treasures the most, but Severide’s family tree is a fascinating rabbit hole to explore. Let’s take a look at who’s who in the Severide family.
Kelly Severide’s Father, Benny Severide
The person who inspired Severide to become a firefighter is none other than his father, Benny Severide, but make no mistake: this is no ordinary father-son relationship. In fact, at the start of the series, Benny and his son don’t speak to each other. Benny is a former member of Rescue Squad 4 who worked closely with former 51 Fire Chief Wallace Boden (Eammon Walker). Benny eventually became a Captain in the Arson Investigation Team. Benny is a dedicated and decorated firefighter, but he has a bad habit of prioritizing his career over his family. And loyalty isn’t his strong suit.
After tormenting Severide’s mother with multiple affairs, Benny eventually abandoned the family when Severide was 10. Severide resented his father for this, not caring about bridging the gap when his father left.
After that, Benny continued to do what he did best: hook up with women without commitment (more on this later). Meanwhile, knowing that he would never gain his father’s approval, Severide was determined to prove himself by becoming an even better firefighter than Benny. It wasn’t until Severide was much older that he met his father again in Season 1 of Chicago Fire.
Benny visited Severide at Firehouse 51 to begin rebuilding their relationship. Though Severide was hesitant at first, he gradually came to see Benny as a father figure as time went on. Their relationship would never be perfect—there had been too much damage—but it could be repaired. Severide learns that Benny eventually married a woman named Beth and became a stepfather to two children.
RELATED ARTICLE: Taylor Kinney Opens Up About the Passing of “Daddy” Treat Williams
Sadly adding to Severide’s sense of closure, in Season 7, Episode 6 (“All the Proof”), Benny tragically passed away after suffering a stroke. Despite the ups and downs of their relationship, Severide was still devastated by his father’s death, and it haunted him throughout Season 7 and left a scar that lasted long after Benny passed away. Kelly Severide’s Mother, Jennifer Sheridan
While Severide’s relationship with his father was an emotional roller coaster, he thankfully had a much healthier relationship with his mother, Jennifer Sheridan. Jennifer was a single mother for much of Severide’s childhood, and he looked up to her as a saint. Jennifer first appeared on screen in Season 6, Episode 17 (“Put White on Me”) when she unexpectedly visited Severide at the fire station to tell him she wanted to live with him for a while.
Having just moved in with his then-girlfriend Stella, Severide quickly welcomed his mother into his home. After reconnecting with Benny to prove that she had moved on and grown after everything he had done, Severide was shocked to discover that the spark between his mother and father had been rekindled after their meeting.
RELATED: Is Chicago Fire Based on Real Life?
After realizing that his parents were planning to get back together, Severide raised his concerns with Benny. Severide reprimanded his father for leading his mother on when they both knew he would hurt her again. Benny eventually took his advice and cut ties with Jennifer.
Stella was nervous about winning Jennifer’s approval, but it didn’t take long for her to gain it. This was only confirmed when Jennifer returned for Benny’s funeral and saw how much Stella supported Severide during that time.
We last saw Jennifer when she attended Severide and Stella’s wedding in the Chicago Fire Season 10 finale (“The Wonderful City of Chicago”). She was excited to celebrate her son’s big day with her new daughter-in-law and the loved ones of Firehouse 51.
