Pat Halstead

**Pat Halstead** was the father of Will Halstead and Jay Halstead. He was portrayed by Louis Herthum.

## Biography

In Generation Gap, Jay Halstead stayed with his father and called Will to tell him that he was experiencing heart problems. Will took Connor to see him, and Pat refused to go to the hospital. Connor persuaded him to and when they got there, Connor said he needed surgery.

However, Connor also told Pat he had the non-surgical option. Will said that it wasn't long-term but Pat dismissed him and said he knew what he wanted. He said that if Will didn't like his choice, he should leave. Will was upset and angry and left the room, followed by Connor who told him he didn't even try to persuade him. Will told Connor that his father wouldn't listen to anything he had to say, because he considered him a "disappointment", because he thought that "real men" got to work straight away and didn't go to college. Connor asks him to tell Jay to talk to him instead, and Will says he won't listen to him either because "they have their own history"

When the clip is put in, Pat mocks Will, and this clearly disheartens him as he only wants to help his dad. He tells him to stop trying to help and thinking he knows everything.

However, the clip didn't hold up and Sharon Goodwin told Pat he needed surgery. Pat went in but asked Connor and her to not tell Will that he was right. In the operation room before the start, Pat tells Connor that Will was right after all. He says he was wrong about everything he said to him and that Will made something of himself. Connor says he must be proud, and Pat says he can't even begin to explain it.

During the surgery, Will and Jay waited outside. Will was more worried than Jay, who kept saying it would go fine. Afterwards, Will tried to explain to his dad he needed to take care of his diet, and his dad interrupted him by holding him. They had an emotional moment and both smiled at each other while Connor looked on.

In When to Let Go, Pat comes into the ED after a fire in his apartment building, known as the Highrise Fire. Will treats him in the ED, while Pat and Jay have an argument. Later in the episode, Pat crashes and Will resuscitates him, as a result of him being gone for over 5 minutes, he is pronounced brain dead. Jay refuses to accept the fact his father is never coming back and he and Will argue over what happened. Gwen Garrett says that she is prepared to use the hospital's resources to keep Pat alive despite his prognosis. Will finds out that Gwen only told them she would keep their father alive so his death is not a hospital fatality, due to his bypass only being 29 days ago (if someone dies before 30 days it is a hospital recorded death). Will feels extremely betrayed and tells Jay they must take him off the vent, despite Jay's belief that Pat knows he is next to him. Jay regrets having the argument with his father and says Will is in no position to decide what to do. They fight, resulting in Jay punching Will in the face. Will apologizes to Jay and says he can keep Pat on the ventilator as long as he wants. Jay says he knows their father will not wake up, and says they should let him go, which they do.

In Heavy Is the Head, they have a funeral for Pat where Jay, Will, Natalie and Pat's friends celebrate his life.