South Siders Give CPD Officer Danny Golden Warm Welcome In Beverly

CHICAGO — On a golden summer morning, the South Side community turned out in force to welcome home a hometown hero. Chicago Police Officer Danny Golden wheeled himself out of the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab Friday morning to bagpipes and roaring applause from fellow officers, family, friends and well-wishers.

The 33-year-old officer was left partially paralyzed after he was shot trying to break up a fight outside a Beverly Bar while off-duty July 9. Three men have been charged.

Ald. Matt O’Shea, whose 19th Ward is home to many of Chicago’s first responders, encouraged residents to line the streets in a show of support for Golden and his family. Resident lined 103rd Street for the final leg of Golden’s homecoming, pushing babies in strollers, pulling wagons, walking dogs and holding #FightLikeAGolden and “We Support DG” signs.

O’Shea said the community turnout had to have helped life Golden’s spirits.

"This is such a wonderful story. You mark my words: Danny Golden is gonna walk again," 19th Ward Ald. Matt O'Shea told ABC 7 Chicago. "Danny Golden is going to continue to serve on the Chicago Police Department. Danny Golden is gonna marry his sweetheart. Next October, he's gonna make his way down that aisle."

The motorcade passed Guaranteed Rate Field, making a swing through Bridgeport before heading to the Beverly, Morgan Park and Mount Greenwood neighborhoods.

Golden’s father, Patrick, stopped to talk news media in the parking lot of the Patrolmen’s Credit Union at 103rd Street and Pulaski Road.

“He’s blown away. He’s smiling from ear to ear,” Patrick Golden said. “He’s in great spirits. He’s still in a lot of pain, he’s still in a lot of pain, but this takes away some of the pain. I really think that.”

Restaurants in the 19th Ward and surrounding communities have held fundraisers, creating special menu items and donating the sales to Golden and his family.
Golden still has five hours of daily rehab ahead of him and has been practicing with a walker, so he can walk down the aisle at his wedding scheduled for October 2023.

The Danny Golden Support Fund on GoFundMe has raised $1.444 million.