'Grey’s Anatomy' Kills off Cece the Matchmaker in Winter Premiere

Grey's Anatomy's massive windstorm claimed the lives of one beloved character during the winter premiere.

Despite the doctors' best efforts to save her, matchmaker Cece Colvin (Caroline Clay) lost her life during "Shelter from the Storm" after a complication from her heart transplant.

The fall finale ended with the tense cliffhanger of Meredith and Andrew (Giacomo Gianniotti) stuck in one elevator while on their way to perform Cece's surgery, while Bailey (Chandra Wilson) and Helm (Jaicy Elliot) were stuck in another one with the heart donor.

The unfortunate delay seemed to spell trouble for Cece, who took the extra time to give Maggie (Kelly McCreary) one last piece of advice about her relationship with Jackson (Jesse Williams) after their fight — either he is wrong for her or he's perfect for her and she's scare she'll lose him.

When the doctors are freed from the elevators, they make it just in time to start Cece's surgery. Despite the stressful delay, her heart transplant is successful, which Meredith jokes she's happy about since Cece swore to haunt her if she died and she stopped trying to find love.

Things go south later, however, when the doctors are working on getting Cece her new kidney and she starts to crash. After an inconveniently placed commercial break, the show returns to Meredith sowing up Cece's body and saying goodbye. She promises to kiss Deluca, and Link (Chris Carmack) and to continue to try and find happiness, and that she owes it all to Cece.

As the episode ends, Meredith finds herself in the middle as both DeLuca and Link fight for her attention. She smiles remembering her late matchmaker and promises to see both of them later before walking away.

Cece was first introduced in the Season 15 premiere after she passed out behind the wheel and hit a bicycle rider. She had had two previous heart transplants and knew she was living on borrowed time, but as she waited for new organs she made it her mission to help Meredith rekindle her desire to find love after Derek's (Patrick Dempsey) death.

It was Cece who set Meredith up with her blind dates and who also helped Maggie, Helm and even the hospital's building manager with their relationship problems. Now that Cece is gone, Meredith's days of blind dating are probably over. However, she will be pretty busy getting to know Link and Andrew more, as the Season of Love continues on the long-running ABC medical drama.

Will you miss matchmaker Cece? Grey's Anatomy airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.