The latest episode of Blue Bloods featured a touching tribute to the late Treat Williams, who first joined the show in 2016.
The episode officially wrote off Williams’ character Lenny Ross, who was the longtime friend to Tom Selleck‘s character, Commissioner Frank Reagan. It also doubled as a tribute to Williams, who died in June 2023 after his motorcycle was struck by a car in Vermont.
In Friday night’s episode, Frank visits Lenny’s daughter to discuss their plans for the funeral, which will include an honor guard and bagpipes.
“Bagpipes? He hated bagpipes,” she says, to which Frank responds, “Yeah, but he loved the old dogs bursting into tears. That’s what bagpipes do.”
Later on, at the ritual family dinner, Frank raises a glass to salute his old friend.
“There’s also someone who ate here with us over the years but who won’t be back,” he says. “Lenny Ross was my oldest friend, my closest confidant, my getaway driver. And I lost him this week. And it hurts like hell. But Lenny would hate it if we got all teary and quiet and sad, so Lenny: We’ll miss ya. And save me a seat at your table, and ‘I’ll see ya on down the road.’”
The episode ends with a photo of Selleck and Williams, reading, “In memory of our great friend, Treat Williams 1951-2023.”
Williams died last summer after he was struct by Ryan Koss, who hit the actor while trying to turn into a parking lot. Williams was then airlifted to a hospital in New York, where he was pronounced dead.
Koss later expressed remorse for Williams’ death, revealing that he had “considered him a friend.” Koss has since pleaded not guilty in connection with Williams’ death. He could face up to 15 years in prison if found guilty.
Williams was a longtime actor who first got his start in the 1979 musical Hair, which landed him his first Golden Globe. His career spanned film and television, with appearances in Chicago Fire, Chesapeake Shores as well as Steven Spielberg’s comedy 1941.
Williams is survived by his wife, Pam Van Sant, and their two children, Gill and Ellie.