What happened to Judd’s son on ‘9-1-1: Lone Star’?

There’s been some serious drama on 9-1-1: Lone Star. Grace jumped aboard a ship on a quest for God, leaving her husband Judd to hold down the fort back home. But will Judd be able to meet his son’s ever-growing needs?

What happened to Judd’s son, Wyatt?

First appearing in season 3, episode 5, “Child Care,” Judd’s son, Wyatt, found his father after searching in an online genetics database and tracked him down in Austin. Judd was skeptical, as any middle-aged person probably would be if some kid turned up claiming to be theirs. After showing Judd a photo of his mother, Judd knew that Wyatt was indeed his kid. Judd decided to take care of Wyatt as his own, because, well, he is his own, and adopted this estranged kid into his family. Their relationship got off to a rocky start, but their bond soon deepened, and Wyatt told his father that he wanted to be a firefighter as well.

Then tragedy struck.

While biking on the street in Austin, Wyatt is struck by a car. He’s alive, but he’s unresponsive. Wyatt is rushed to the hospital, and a tearful Judd is told that while Wyatt is receiving surgery from the best spinal care doctor in Austin, Wyatt’s injuries may have lifelong consequences. Sadly, they do.

Despite receiving the best medical care, Wyatt is left paralyzed. His firefighter dreams, and his spirits, are crushed. It’s particularly devastating considering that Wyatt was led to believe that his motor functions were improving after the accident, but his condition quickly deteriorated and he lost function of his legs. As a result, he’s told that he may never walk again.

Grace really couldn’t have picked a worse time to go. Or rather, God couldn’t have picked a worse time, considering God is the reason Grace left. Now entirely on his own, Judd is forced to quit his job to take care of his son and his two-year-old daughter from his relationship with Grace. When we revisit Judd in season 5, he’s trying to get his son’s house up to ADL standards, but he’s got his work cut out for him.

Why did God, in this case the showrunners, decide to pull such a dick move? According to showrunner Tim Minear, Wyatt’s accident is a plot device meant to bring Judd and his estranged paramedic friend, Tommy, back into each other’s good graces. The pair were going through a rough patch in their relationship, and the showrunners thought that a shared tragedy could bring them together. As it turns out, they were right.