The Most Heartbreaking Character Exits on Grey's Anatomy, Ranked

This one hurt, especially with how unexpected it was. One minute, DeLuca is trying to track down a human trafficker he's suspected for a long time, and the next, he's stabbed and bleeding out in front of his sister Carina. At first, it seems like his friends might be able to save him, but then we see him show up on Meredith's "beach" between life and death. After exchanging a few sweet but heartbreaking words with Meredith, he reassures her that she'll be fine, and then runs to where his mother is waiting to walk him into the afterlife. It's a brutal ending for a character who went through a lot during his time on the show.