By TEMILADE ENIOLA
In a shocking twist, popular medical drama witnessed the death of the much-loved Dr Derek Shepherd a.k.a McDreamy a.k.a Patrick Dempsey.
“I’ll be back before you know it,” the hunky doc told his wife Meredith Grey, flashing a smile as he walked away, at the start of Thursday night’s emotional episode but, little did she know, that would be the last time she ever saw her husband.
The episode, written by series creator Shonda Rhimes, opened with Derek witnessing a horrific car crash and rushing to help all of the injured people on the scene. Of course the incident was the perfect scenario for him to also murmur his signature line: “It’s a great day to save lives.” But, in a tear-jerking twist that no doubt left thousands reaching for the Kleenex, that wasn’t the only car crash of the episode.
Just as the heroic Shepherd was pulling away from the scene, he heard his cellphone ringing as he turned into the road. The medic then stopped the vehicle to get it out from between the seats and POW! – a semi crashes into him. McDreamy is then taken to an unknown hospital, bloody and covered in bandages. The doctor narrates his own inept care as he lay on the gurney in the operating room. We then see the police tell Meredith that there has been an accident. She makes her way to the hospital and finds her husband on a life support machine. The neurosurgeon then tells her that the man she loves is brain dead.
Without consulting anyone, and completely alone, Meredith signs the papers to end his like. “Derek,” she says, caressing his cheek. “You go.”
In the final moments, which are guaranteed to leave you a blubbering mess, she stands by her husband’s side reminiscing on all of the good times, as his pulse stops.
The episode is the first Rhimes has penned since the Season 8 finale, another emotional episode which saw us bid goodbye to series regulars Chyler Leigh (Lexie) and Kim Raver (Teddy) — you can guarantee it’s always going to be a big one when Shonda’s on it!
Dempsey, who has been on the show from the very beginning, still has a year remaining on his contract. He and Ellen Pompeo (Meredith) both signed two-year deals in January 2014 that would have kept the couple together on Grey’s through the 2015-16 season. So, all that’s left to ask is… WHY?
