How ‘Blue Bloods’ said goodbye to Treat Williams’ character after his death

“Blue Bloods” is saying goodbye to two special men: Treat Williams and his character, Lenny Ross.

The former partner of New York Police Commissioner Francis “Frank” Reagan, played by Tom Selleck, last appeared in Season 13, when it was revealed that Lenny had been diagnosed with cancer.

The latest episode of the CBS drama served as a tribute to Williams, who died in June 2023 after a motorcycle accident, while revealing the fate of his character through a touching storyline involving Lenny's daughter, Tess.

What happened to Lenny in ‘Blue Bloods’?

The third episode of Season 14 of "Blue Bloods," which aired March 1, follows Frank as he mourns the death of his best friend, Lenny.

After Lenny's daughter, Tess, is arrested for fighting, she speaks with Frank and tells the police commissioner that her dad had died from cancer.

While wanting to remain loyal to their friendship, the episode puts Frank in a difficult position as he's tasked with choosing if Tess should be prosecuted.

After Tess challenges Frank on whether the friendship was enough to save her from charges, Frank responds, “He was my best friend. And I’m gonna honor that by doing what’s best for his daughter.”

He decides to remain faithful to the badge over his friend's family, explaining, “Lenny was a great guy with a whole lot of flaws. And one of them was letting his daughter get away with whatever she wanted. So when he asked me to look out for her, he knew what he was signing up for. I think that’s why he asked me.”

Frank later gives Tess information for a defense attorney.

In the final scene of Friday's episode, Frank's family gathers to share a meal, and they take a moment to pay tribute to Lenny.

“Lenny Ross was my oldest friend, my closest confidant, my getaway driver. And I lost him this week,” Frank says. “And it hurts like hell. But Lenny would hate it if we got all teary and quiet and sad, so Lenny — we’ll miss you, and save me a seat at your table, and I’ll see you on down the road.”

Following the episode, a graphic appeared on screen.

“In memory of our great friend, Treat Williams 1951-2023,” it read, with a photo of Williams and Selleck.

What happened to Treat Williams?

Williams died June 12, 2023, in a fatal motorcycle accident in Dorset, Vermont. He was 71.

According to Vermont State Police, Williams was critically injured at about 4:53 p.m. after a Honda SUV turned in front of him, which resulted in Williams being thrown from his motorcycle.

He was subsequently taken to Albany Medical Center in Albany, New York, where he was pronounced dead, officials said at the time.

Aside from "Blue Bloods," Williams' television repertoire included shows like “Law & Order,” “Everwood” and “We Own This City.”

Williams also starred in films including “The Congressman.” “1941,” “Prince of the City,” “Once Upon a Time in America” and John Erman’s adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ classic “A Streetcar Named Desire.”

As a stage actor, he started as an understudy in Broadway’s “Grease” in the 1970s before taking on the show’s leading role, Danny Zuko. In 1979, he played George Berger in “Hair.”

This article was originally published on TODAY.com