Bears Care, Hallmark stars visit firehouse to support first responders mourning fallen firefighter
More than a dozen Hallmark Channel stars visited a Chicago firehouse Tuesday to support first responders and the family of Firefighter/EMT Michael “Mickey” Altman, who died March 17 after sustaining injuries while battling a Rogers Park apartment building fire. The visit was organized with help from the Chicago Bears’ community program, Bears Care, and included members of the cast of “Holiday Touchdown: A Bears Love Story” along with other Hallmark performers. Altman was 27, a fourth-generation Chicago firefighter and soon-to-be father of two. Organizers said the event aimed to offer comfort and recognition to Altman’s unit and family.
Hallmark sought a local cause to support while filming in Chicago, and the Bears connected the company with Altman’s firehouse at 6030 N. Clark St. Robert Buckley, the film’s lead who portrays firefighter Matt, helped prompt the match. Marge Hamm, director of Bears Care, said the connection allowed the company to give back to a family and a community of first responders in need of support. Annie Howell, Hallmark’s chief communications officer, said the company looks for ways to bring joy and thank first responders when it visits local communities.
Buckley attended the firehouse with co-stars Lyndsy Fonseca, who plays Avery, and Barbara Alyn Woods, who plays Jody; Fonseca plays Buckley’s love interest in the film. The group spoke with firefighters, posed for photos and spent time with Altman’s family. Other Hallmark performers on hand included Jonathan Bennett, Erin Cahill, Sarah Drew, Brooke D’Orsay, James Denton, Andrew Gernhard, Peter Mooney, Tamera Mowry-Housley, Brendan Penny, Kristoffer Polaha and Dustin Rikert. Buckley said he did not think a reason was necessary to express gratitude to first responders and that gathering with everyone had been a special event.
Altman’s wife, Nora, attended the gathering with two-year-old son Theodore and daughter Evelyn and described the event as “bittersweet.” Truck 47 Captain James Mullaghy said the outpouring from the Hallmark Channel and the Chicago Bears was deeply meaningful and something the crew will always remember. Bears vice president Patrick McCaskey, who plays a fire captain in the movie, briefly addressed the gathering and offered the team’s condolences. Cast members and team officials spent time speaking directly with first responders and family members to provide personal support.
Organizers directed those seeking information about supporting a memorial for Michael “Mickey” Altman to contact Bears.Care@bears.nfl.net for details. They said inquiries and contributions would help with construction of a Michael “Mickey” Altman memorial and raise awareness about the family’s needs. The Bears and Hallmark emphasized that the visit was intended to provide immediate comfort and to help spotlight a local memorial effort. Officials noted that public gestures can complement, but do not replace, sustained support for first responders and grieving families.
NFL Sports Blog Take
The collaboration between Bears Care and Hallmark brought national attention and an emotional show of support to a local firehouse at a time of intense grief. By connecting a high-profile film production with the unit directly affected, the Chicago Bears helped facilitate personal outreach that included time with family members, recognition from team leadership and opportunities to raise awareness for a memorial effort. Such public gestures provide immediate comfort and visibility that can help first responders and surviving family members begin the work of healing, even as they underscore the need for long-term support from institutions and communities.