While Goodwin’s daughter, Tara (Nicolette Robinson), and the youngest son Michael (Hampton Fluker) have been forced to witness their father’s slow decline and sudden turn, Goodwin’s eldest David (Gbenga Akinnagbe) struggled to accept the reality of his father’s condition after missing out on so much of the decline.

Bert Goodwin’s family gathered at Gaffney for bad news

Chihards were excited for the on-screen debut of Goodwin’s eldest son, soon uncovering some shocking family truths as they navigated Bert’s injury. His CT scan revealed he suffered from a subdural hematoma that would be fatal without surgery. Due to his mental deterioration, advanced medical directives had been made that prevented life-saving procedures. Unfortunately, this means he’s dying.

Goodwin was saddened to obey Bert’s wishes, but understood it was what her ex-husband wanted.

David was infuriated by this fallout despite his siblings’ attempts to help him understand that their father had been dying for quite some time. Still, David insisted on giving Bert a fighting chance, revealing to Tara and Michael that it was “different” for him because Bert wasn’t his biological father. A stunned Tara and Michael demanded answers from their mom.

Goodwin revealed she got pregnant with David during her first year of nursing school; she was later dumped by the father after she revealed her plans to keep the baby. Bert met Goodwin in the early stages of her pregnancy when she hid her bump beneath baggy sweaters. After several flirtatious advances, he finally asked Goodwin on a movie date. Goodwin revealed the pregnancy so as not to trap Bert into any long-term commitments, but he revealed he’d known all along.

The rest became history as Bert and Goodwin later welcomed Tara and Michael to the household. They told David about his biological father as a teenager, but David never opened up about his half-sibling status to his younger siblings.

Sharon Goodwin and the kids are saying their final goodbyes to Bert

Goodwin visited David to comfort him and explain that Bert wouldn’t have wanted him to lie about the reality of his condition. His father would want David to squeeze in whatever time he could and say goodbye. David tearfully accepted this.

Goodwin and her three children gathered in Bert’s hospital room, surrounding the bed to share their highs and lows of the day, just as they did when they were kids. After Bert expressed a brief moment of happy lucidity with his family, Goodwin couldn’t help but grow teary-eyed while envisioning David, Michael, and Tara as they were as little kids.

Watch Chicago Med on Wednesdays at 8/7c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.