The Reagan family was always the heart of the entire Blue Bloods franchise. While New York City was an important setting, the New York Police Department was always involved, and the theme of crime-fighting was essential. The Reagans were the show’s core. Every member of the family had their time in the spotlight during the show’s 14-year run, which is what made the story so mesmerizing.
While the upcoming Boston Blue spin-off is looking to explore an entirely new family and an all-new city, the original show revolved around the Reagans. Every single episode saw a Reagan in a starring role. Unfortunately, they were not always involved in the happiest moments of their lives. Though the family always endured throughout the show’s run, Blue Bloods still had some tragic deaths that impacted every Reagan and left holes that could not be filled.
Peter Reagan Died Extremely Young
Peter Died as a Baby
One of the most tragic deaths in all of Blue Bloods came long before the show began. Despite serving as the family patriarch for many years, Frank Reagan was not Henry Reagan’s oldest son. Instead, it was actually the lesser-known character Peter Reagan, who died when he was just months old. Not much has been revealed about Peter, who died before Frank was even born. Devastated by their son’s death, Henry and Betty kept quiet about his very existence. Frank lived through his entire childhood without even knowing that he had a brother, let alone that he had suffered a painful death.
Peter, after all, was diagnosed with leukemia when he was still just a baby. He could not grow to become another member of the Reagan family dynasty, and he never had the chance to meet his little brother. If not for Peter’s death, it is likely that he would have taken Henry’s place as the family patriarch. Instead, most of the family did not even realize that he existed. In their grief, the Reagans certainly had the right to mourn their son in whatever way they wished, but it was still a horrifying twist when the truth was revealed. In the end, Henry broke a promise to his late wife by telling Frank, who would go the rest of his life mourning a brother that he never knew.
Betty Reagan Was Henry’s Wife
Betty Died at 72 Years Old
Like her firstborn son, Betty Reagan passed away long before Blue Bloods began. She was a daring woman who was born in famine-stricken Ireland in a family of 12. Looking for an opportunity to escape poverty; she immigrated to New York City, where she fell in love with Henry Reagan. They remained together for the rest of her life, and they began the Blue Bloods’ family dinner tradition to ensure both familial connectivity and to prove that they escaped the pain of hunger. While Betty enjoyed a strong bond with Henry and the rest of her New York-based family, she faced some serious struggles. In her last few months, she grew sick with an unknown disease, and it eventually claimed her life. Betty died at 72 years old on December 2, 2001, and Henry never had any major interest in finding another partner. Though he remained close to his family, he would always miss Betty, and he would often reflect on their time together.
Charles Reagan Died Before the Show
Not Much Is Known About Charles
Another named Reagan who died before the show began, Charles Reagan, was Henry’s late father. Not much about his life is known, given that decades have passed since his death, but he remains a fairly divisive figure. After all, he began the Reagan family tradition of serving in law enforcement agencies, which is what made the show possible. He was a soldier in World War I, and he quickly found a place in the NYPD, which was already an established force when he was young. Unfortunately, Charles was rarely a positive role model for Henry. He had alcoholic tendencies, which made it difficult for him to raise his family during the aftermath of the Great Depression. He also struggled to maintain employment, which was a severe challenge for Henry, as he was growing up in the 1930s and ’40s. Henry would follow in his father’s footsteps by joining the Marines during World War II, then becoming an officer, but the connection remains tenuous. After all, the show never delved too deeply into Charles’ history and death.
Mary’s Death Changed Frank Forever
Mary Died at 50 Years Old
Tom Selleck’s Frank Reagan has always been one of the central characters of Blue Bloods. As the family patriarch, he sits at the head of the table during family dinners, serves as the New York City Police Commissioner, and often steps in to serve as a mediator in family drama. Frank is very much the rock of his family, but he was also missing his own rock. After all, his wife’s death wounded him throughout his entire time on the show. After facing a cancer diagnosis, Mary eventually died in 2005, leaving Frank a widower. She appeared in the show in odd cameos, but she was never present outside mere photographs. Even without her official presence, however, her loss hung over everyone in the show, as all of her children would struggle with the loss. Mary may have never gotten her happy ending in Blue Bloods, but she would never be forgotten by anyone in the cast.
Joe Reagan Never Met His Son
Joe Died at 32 Years Old
Joe Reagan was the last Reagan family death before Blue Bloods began, which is likely why it haunted the cast throughout the show. After all, Joe died in 2009, just one year before season 1. He was an NYPD officer and an undercover agent of the FBI, which would eventually lead to his downfall. A criminal gang of officers, the Blue Templar, quickly discovered that he was a spy, and they elected to dispatch him.
Sonny Malevsky, a crooked cop, shot Joe in the middle of his investigation, and Joe succumbed to his injuries. The family never truly recovered from the loss, though they would find some reprieve from the pain. After all, they discovered that Joe secretly had a son named Joe Hill (Will Hochman). While Joe Reagan never met his son, as his mother hid his existence, he would follow in his father’s footsteps to become a detective. Hill would also officially join the Reagan family, providing some closure after a painful loss.
Linda Reagan’s Death Was Controversial
Linda Died at 46 Years Old
Linda Reagan’s death was the most emotional in the family’s history, largely because audiences actually had the chance to see the aftermath. Unfortunately, viewers could not see the full event, given that Linda still died off-screen between seasons 7 and 8. Because the producers chose not to renew Amy Carlson’s contract, she had to be written out of the series. Unfortunately, that meant that her character would need to die. Between seasons, she was involved in a helicopter crash, but it was no ordinary tragedy.
In reality, cartel member Jose Rojas (Danny Trejo) murdered her to get vengeance against Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg). Linda left behind multiple children, Danny, and the entire rest of the Reagan family. Danny spent entire seasons attempting to cope with her death, only earning closure after arresting Rojas. The loss remains painful, and the memory of it will likely follow Danny into the upcoming Blue Bloods spin-off.
