Slush, ice greet giddy Polar Plungers

As polar plunges go, Sunday’s was a bear.

Thousands jumped — giddily, mind you — into brown slush mixed with bits of shattered ice at North Avenue Beach.

A bulldozer smashed a postage stamp recess into a wall of ice that covers Lake Michigan’s shoreline to make the event possible.

“We’re idiots!” one man shouted before running through the 20 degree air to the 35 degree water.

About 20 firefighters and police officers in dry suits formed a ring around the splash area.

“We try to tell them not to jump in and take it slow, but you can only say it some many times,” said one firefighter, chalking up the minor cuts, bruises and one bloody nose to human nature.

Participants flee the frigid water during the 19th annual Chicago Polar Plunge. | Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times

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Members of the Chicago Fire Department Marine Unit clears out chunks of ice. | Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times

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Participants running towards the lake. | Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times

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Participants jump into a 34-degree Lake Michigan for the Chicago Polar Plunge. | Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times

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A Polar Plunge participant splashes in 34-degree waters of Lake Michigan. | Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times

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Participants jump into a 34-degree Lake Michigan for the Chicago Polar Plunge. | Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times

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Despite the freezing temperatures, thousands of people gathered at North Avenue Beach to jump into Lake Michigan as part of the 19th annual Polar Plunge on March 3, 2019. | Victor Hilitski/for the Sun-Times

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Participants jump into a 34-degree Lake Michigan for the Chicago Polar Plunge. | Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times

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Thousands took on the icy waters of Lake Michigan for the Chicago Polar Plunge. | Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times

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Participants waiting in line to jump into a 34-degree Lake Michigan. | Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times

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Polar Plunge participants splash in 34-degree waters of Lake Michigan. | Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times

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A Polar Plunge participant splashes in 34-degree waters of Lake Michigan. | Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times

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Participants flee the frigid water during the 19th annual Chicago Polar Plunge. | Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times | Sun-Times file photo

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Polar Plunge participant splash in 34-degree waters of Lake Michigan. | Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times

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Thousands took on the icy waters of Lake Michigan Sunday. | Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times

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Polar Plunge participant splash in 34-degree waters of Lake Michigan. | Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times

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Participants jump into a 34-degree Lake Michigan for the Chicago Polar Plunge. | Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times

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Participants jump into a 34-degree Lake Michigan for the Chicago Polar Plunge. | Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times

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Participants jump into a 34-degree Lake Michigan for the Chicago Polar Plunge. | Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times

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Participants jump into a 34-degree Lake Michigan for the Chicago Polar Plunge. | Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times

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Chicago mayoral candidate Lori Lightfoot greets Polar Plungers. | Victor Hilitski/For the Sun-Times

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About 4,500 plungers raised more than $1.6 million for the 19th annual plunge benefitting Special Olympics Chicago. And donations are being accepted though the end of March at chicagopolarplunge.org.

This year’s plunge may have lacked the superstar celebrity punch that in years past included Lady Gaga, Vince Vaughn and Jimmy Fallon, but there were some famous faces in the mix.

It was “Chicago Fire” stars David Eigenberg’s seventh plunge.

“This is the one that hurt,” said Eigenberg, a longtime Special Olympics supporter who paused several times during a brief chat to take pictures with fans.

“It was a lot of slush out there. It was a lot of big ice, my knees got skinned,” he said.

Asked where his co-stars were this year, Eigenberg said with a laugh: “I sent the text out and I got crickets.”

Mayoral candidate Lori Lightfoot was there to support plungers, but did not go in the water. Her opponent in the April 2 mayoral runoff, Toni Preckwinkle, did not attend.

Illinois Supreme Court Justice Anne Burke, who helped found Special Olympics, was also on hand Sunday. But unlike last year — when she plunged with her husband, Ald. Ed Burke — she remained dry.

Aldermanic plungers this year included Raymond Lopez (15th), Patrick Thompson (11th), Ariel Reboyras (30th), James Cappleman (46th), Matt O’Shea (19th) and Michael Scott (24th), according to a Polar Plunge spokeswoman.