Get some tissues, stat! Meredith Grey is leaving Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital after 19 years, and Grey’s Anatomy fans are in for an emotional farewell.
The ABC medical drama returns in February with a midseason premiere that will include star Ellen Pompeo‘s sendoff. “Grey Sloan Memorial celebrates Meredith Grey [Pompeo] as she says farewell to Seattle,” the synopsis for the episode reveals. “It’s Meredith’s last day at Grey Sloan Memorial and the doctors plan a goodbye surprise, while Nick [Scott Speedman] confronts her about the future of their relationship.”
In a trailer for the midseason premiere of Grey’s Anatomy, Meredith seems wistful. “This is where I learned to be a doctor. This is the place where I found my family. The place where I fell in love,” the surgeon says.
She adds, “Sometimes change is good. sometimes change is everything.”
Meredith’s colleagues and friends gather to send her off with a champagne toast. “You know I’ll probably be here next week,” she teases Owen (Kevin McKidd).
The episode, billed as “Meredith’s farewell to Seattle,” is not actually her last episode. “I think we’ve aired six episodes or seven episodes, possibly,” Pompeo said during a December appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show. “Maybe after the winter hiatus, I am in one more, maybe, and then the finale, actually.”
She’ll remain with the series as an executive producer and narrator. The Boston native shared a heartfelt message to fans in November amid the fall midseason finale, which indicated that Meredith decided to leave Seattle.
“I am eternally grateful and humbled by the love and support you have all shown me, Meredith GREY and the show for 19 seasons!” Pompeo wrote via Instagram at the time. Through it all … none of it … would have been possible without the best fans in the world. You all are RIDERS and you all have made the ride so fun and ICONIC!!”
She continued: “I love you madly and appreciate you right back. This isn’t your first time on the rollercoaster… you know the show must go on and I’ll definitely be back to visit. With a lot of love and immense gratitude XoE .”
Pompeo has played Meredith Grey since the pilot aired on ABC in March 2005 and starred in over 400 episodes of the series.
Scroll down to learn everything to know about “Meredith’s farewell to Seattle” on Grey’s Anatomy season 19: