Blue Bloods Grandfather Died? The Death Hoax Nobody Asked For
If you've stumbled across whispers that Henry Reagan — the beloved Reagan patriarch from Blue Bloods — is dead, congratulations. You've just been hit with a hoax nobody asked for and nobody needed.
Leonard Cariou, the man behind Henry Reagan, is alive and well at 85. So is his character. Blue Bloods ended its 14-season run in 2024, and neither the actor nor the role met their maker. But thanks to the internet's appetite for fake deaths and funeral clickbait, here we are — clearing up nonsense.
Why the Hoax Started
Blame it on Reddit. About eight months before the series finale, someone posted that there would be a funeral in the final episode. That was enough to send fans spiraling into speculation — and inevitably, people started assuming it was Henry.
But users in the know shot that down fast. Set photos leaked months earlier showed Henry very much alive, standing graveside with the rest of the Reagan clan. The funeral? It wasn't for anyone in the family. Not Frank. Not Danny. Not Pops.
One commenter made it clear:
"There have already been pictures floating around the internet of the funeral and pops is standing there at the funeral."
So no, Grandpa Henry didn't die. Not on the show, not in real life. The series just wrapped with him alive — cranky and retired as ever.
Who Actually Died on Blue Bloods?
If you're keeping score, here's the real Reagan family death roll:
- Peter Reagan: Died as a baby from leukemia, decades before the show started.
- Betty Reagan: Henry's wife, passed away in 2001 at 72.
- Charles Reagan: Henry's father, long deceased before the series, barely mentioned.
- Mary Reagan: Frank's wife, died of cancer in 2005, before the pilot.
- Joe Reagan: Frank's son, murdered in 2009 by the corrupt Blue Templar cops.
- Linda Reagan: Danny's wife, killed off between seasons 7 and 8 via cartel revenge.
And no — despite the fan theories, the series finale didn't add Henry to that list.
The Real Funeral in the Finale
The Blue Bloods finale, fittingly titled End of Tour, featured a funeral — but for Luis Badillo, Eddie Janko-Reagan's precinct partner. Set leaks and social media gave that away months before air. The funeral was NYPD formal: dress blues, full honors, family in attendance.
For anyone hoping the finale would send off Henry Reagan with a tearjerker memorial, it didn't happen. He was there in his overcoat, alive and scowling.
Will Henry Show Up Again?
There's still a chance Henry might pop up on screen one last time. Boston Blue, a Blue Bloods spinoff, is already filming and is slated for a fall 2025 release. But as of now, no word on a Leonard Cariou cameo.
Given that CBS loves squeezing every last drop out of their police dramas, don't count him out yet. But if you hear he's dead again, fact-check it before lighting a candle.