‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Deluca Shocker: Fans Hearts Broken Again in Midseason Premiere

SPOILERS AHEAD for the midseason premiere of Grey’s Anatomy. Grey’s Anatomy’s crossover event with Station 19 left fans in tears when the medical drama’s Season 17 midseason finale killed off a beloved fan-favorite character. The grim reaper once again arrived at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital when after being stabbed by a sex trafficker trying to escape the hospital, Dr. Andrew Deluca (Giacomo Gianniotti) died.

Deluca was introduced in Season 11 as a medical intern and was a significant love interest for Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) following the death of Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey). Meredith is still in a COVID-19 coma, and Deluca appeared on her mind beach before passing into the afterlife. “I don’t know what happens from here,” he told Meredith, “but no matter what happens, I want you to know I’ve never felt seen like you saw me.”

Fans on Twitter were devastated by this development and made their displeasure known. “This is unforgivable Shonda [Rhimes]. there was no need,” tweeted one viewer. “You’re trying to tell me that two military surgeons and general surgeon with 30 years plus in the game couldn’t repair a stab wound?? Teddy Altman the woman who trained Christina Yang??? Make it make sense [Grey’s Anatomy],” wrote another.

“SOMEBODY FROM GREYS ANATOMY PRODUCTION TEAM NEED TO TELL ME WHY DELUCA DIED BUT YET TEDDY IS STILL ALIVE,” tweet-shouted another. One Twitter user best summed up being a Grey’s fan with one tweet: “People who are still checking in to watch Grey’s Anatomy are the strongest soldiers…”

Gianniotti gave an exit interview with Deadline, expressing his gratitude for his time on the show and what he plans to do next. “Grey’s Anatomy is so much more than a television show, it has a really big global impact,” Gianniotti explained. “So, that’s what I’m also going to be missing, being a part of that, being a small part of how many people’s lives are changed because of the show. The other part is that so many people, especially now because the show has been on for 17 seasons, the amount of people that have told me that they started in the medical profession because of Grey’s Anatomy is tremendous.”