‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Recap: The Doctors Tackle Grief After Losing One Of Their Own

Grey’s Anatomy returned for the second half of season 17 last week with the shocking death of one of its main characters. Dr. Andrew DeLuca, played by Giacomo Gianniotti, died in surgery after being stabbed while in pursuit of a sex trafficker.

This week’s episode caught up with the show’s other characters as they dealt with grief and came to terms with DeLuca’s death. The doctors put together a video tribute for DeLuca’s funeral to honor him and the work he did at the hospital.

Dr. Teddy Altman, played by Kim Raver, continued to care for main character, Meredith Grey (played by Ellen Pompeo), as she battles COVID-19. Altman also faced intense grief over losing DeLuca in surgery. She thought she was seeing him around the hospital, but she was actually just having visions.

Chief of Surgery, Dr. Miranda Bailey (played by Chandra Wilson), wanted an autopsy of DeLuca done to figure out what went wrong with him.

“Andrew DeLuca was one of our own,” Bailey explained. “Obviously something went wrong — I want to know what that was.”

She argued with her mentor, Dr. Richard Webber (played by James Pickens Jr.), about demanding the autopsy before finally letting go and realizing that nothing else could’ve been done to save DeLuca. She eventually takes some time off for her mental health, asking Webber to take her place while she’s out.

The late Dr. Derek Shephard (played by Patrick Dempsey) returned to Meredith’s dream sequence beach where she has been hanging out while in a COVID-19 related coma. Derek reveals how he’s been keeping up with the couple’s three children, Zola, Bailey and Ellis. Meredith is especially surprised when Derek talks about what he loves about Ellis, since she was born after he died.

“You never got to meet Ellis. We didn’t even know, I wish you got to know her,” Meredith said.

Meanwhile, Dr. Cormac Hayes (played by Richard Flood) is taking care of Meredith in the hospital. He even helps her kids video chat with her. Hayes appears on Meredith’s beach and begs her to fight and come back to her family. Derek encourages her to listen to him.

“I believe that you could, because I’ve heard the stories about all the fights you’ve already won, so I’m asking you to fight,” Hayes said.

Derek assured her, “It’s okay. I’ll be right here.”

Grey’s Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. EST on ABC.