t’s been an emotional season on Chicago Fire as Stella Kidd (Miranda Rae Mayo) and her husband, Kelly Severide (Taylor Kinney), start the adoption process to expand their family. Stella was initially hesitant to become a mother due to lingering baggage surrounding her tumultuous childhood, but after realizing she craved a family with Severide, the firefighter couple began taking the next steps and have been officially approved for the adoption process.
Stella and Severide have been playing the waiting game ever since, but they’re luckily in no shortage of distractions. The high-stakes rescues of Firehouse 51 have kept them plenty busy. Despite the many changes unfolding in and out of the firehouse, Stella has emerged as one of 51’s strongest and most reliable players, so you can bet Chi-Hards will note her absence in Season 13, Episode 19 (“Permanent Damage”), which airs Wednesday, April 23.
Where did Stella go, and when can fans expect her to return? Read more, below:
Where is Miranda Rae Mayo’s Stella Kidd on Chicago Fire this week? (April 23, 2025)
Stella was absent from the latest Firehouse 51 action due to taking a leadership course at the National Fire Academy in Maryland.
Severide mentions Stella’s absence at the top of the episode. Mouch McHolland (Christian Stolte) later gives viewers more details about Stella’s whereabouts after he visits Chief Dom Pascal (Dermot Mulroney) to chat about the class Stella is taking — as a freshly-minted lieutenant, Mouch is interested in following Stella’s lead and taking the class, too.
When is Stella Kidd returning to Firehouse 51?
Stella may be OOO for now, but she’s likely excited to get back to the Windy City to put those Academy lessons to use. Since her Season 4 arrival, Stella has evolved from a dedicated firefighter to a tenacious lieutenant at Firehouse 51, and fans never tire of watching her compelling arc unfold.
Whether it’s her swoon-worthy connection to Severide or her infallible empathy with civilians, Stella never fails to steal the show on Chicago Fire, and Season 13 has been no different. Thanks to a visit from an estranged family member, viewers have learned more about Stella’s troublesome upbringing, setting the tone for some gripping drama and heartwarming moments as she becomes a parent herself.
“[Things are] looking good this season,” Mayo said in an October 2024 interview. “There’s a lot to be excited about. And, again, I’m just so grateful, so proud, and fortunate to be on the ride. Thank you forever to [the Chicago Fire writers] for creating Stella, to Dick [Wolf] for having me. Forever grateful to be a part of this crew.”
