‘Grey’s Anatomy’: How Did Derek Die?
For millions of television viewers all around the world, Grey’s Anatomy is one of the greatest medical dramas of all time. The series debuted on television in 2005 and has been a mainstay ever since, capturing new fans with each passing season.
The ABC show has spawned many well-written and multi-dimensional characters over the years, including Meredith Grey, Cristina Yang, Miranda Bailey — and, of course, Derek Shepherd, Meredith’s long-time love interest and one of the most iconic characters ever to be featured in Grey’s Anatomy. Derek’s eventual tragic death is still considered to be one of the most traumatic events ever to occur in the long-running medical drama.
‘Grey’s Anatomy’ is praised for character creation and development
Grey’s Anatomy follows the staff, residents, and attendees of the fictional Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital in Seattle. While Meredith Grey, played by Ellen Pompeo, is the main focus of the series, it is an ensemble series and features a large supporting cast of talented performers.
Far from just following the events in Meredith and her friends’ professional lives, the show digs deep into the personal lives and stories of nearly every character in the series.
Grey’s Anatomy has been honored many times by critics over the years and has been nominated for 25 Primetime Emmy Awards. Many of the show’s actors have also been nominated for awards individually, including Katherine Heigl, Pompeo, and Patrick Dempsey.
The latter rose to fame acting in Grey’s Anatomy, and eventually became one of the most popular characters in the show’s history.
Derek Shepherd is a fan-favorite Grey’s Anatomy’ character
Dempsey was best known for acting in guest roles in various television shows when he was cast on Grey’s Anatomy. As Derek Shepherd, better known as “McDreamy,” Dempsey quickly became a fan-favorite, appearing on the show for just over 10 years.
Derek Shepherd is an acclaimed surgeon who specializes in difficult cases that no other physician can properly diagnose. Over the years, Derek develops a strong affinity for Meredith Grey, and the two form a tight bond that turns romantic.
Although Meredith and Derek have a number of trials and tribulations over the years, they eventually get married and begin raising their three children together. It seemed as though the two would live happily ever after until a tragic accident occurred that changed the course of Grey’s Anatomy forever.
How did Derek die in ‘Grey’s Anatomy’?
In season 11 of Grey’s Anatomy, Derek gets involved in a car accident that leaves him completely incapacitated and unable to speak. The local hospital that Derek is rushed to is ill-equipped to handle a traumatic injury like his, and ultimately, Derek is pronounced brain-dead.
When Meredith is contacted and brought to the hospital to see her husband, she is forced to make the decision to end life support, leaving Meredith and his family and friends to confront reality without Derek.
To this day, the moment when Meredith decides to end Derek’s life support is considered to be one of the most traumatic moments in the series. Additionally, his death caused major tension between Meredith and Derek’s sister, Amelia, who develops a deep resentment towards Meredith because she got to say goodbye to Derek, while Amelia never did.
With the recent re-appearance of Derek on Grey’s Anatomy, many fans are reliving the details of his life all over again, remembering a time when Meredith and McDreamy seemed to have it all.
