While most Grey’s Anatomy fans have come to terms with Patrick Dempsey’s exit from the show back in 2015, it is something that others many never truly get over.
Dempsey’s character, Derek Shepherd, also known as “McDreamy,” was killed off the show in its 11th season via a tragic vehicular accident. His character was married to the show’s namesake character, Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) and the two had an on-screen romance that had the world talking about the “MerDer” love story for years.
Despite it being three years since he walked away from the cast, some followers are still as irate as if it happened yesterday. According to Good Housekeeping , some fans of the medical drama may be taking their obsession with the “MerDer” relationship a little too far.
Less than a week ago, Dempsey took to Instagram to share an adorable photo of his wife, Jillian, as he wished her a very happy birthday. With a following of nearly 4 million, one would expect Patrick’s fans to echo his sentiment before wishing his beautiful wife a happy birthday as well. Unfortunately, that isn’t exactly how the socialization in the comments of the photo went down.
While many were quick to praise the post and send birthday wishes of their own, others were quick to point out the fact that Jillian was not Meredith Grey.
A quick scroll through the comments on the post reveals some Grey’s Anatomy fans struggling to separate fiction from reality as they crucified Dempsey for sharing pictures of his real wife instead of his on-screen wife. There were even a few who suggested his wife, Jillian, was ultimately to blame for him leaving the show.
“This ain’t no Meredith,” one user exclaimed.
“Nooooo, you dont love her. you love meredith. GIVE ME MY SHIPP PLEASE,” another added.
Amidst the rude and unrealistic insults being hurled at the post, there were also a few warm-hearted fans to tried to remind their peers that they need to wrap their heads around reality and stop being so hateful.
“He’s done with the show, has been for a while now but you delusional crazy fans just can’t accept that he’s doing other things,” one level-headed fan said.
“Reading the comments. You guys need to learn the difference between reality and FICTION. Joking or not, you guys need to stop with those comments,” another supportive fan added.
Sadly, this is not the first time that fans have made inappropriate comments on Dempsey’s post in relation to his former life on Grey’s Anatomy .
In August of 2018, the actor posted a photo of himself and his wife on their 19th wedding anniversary. The photo received similar types of comments including: “THAT’S NOT MEREDITH” and “First you die and then you cheat, Mer does not deserve this.”
While fans will probably never see the on-screen chemistry between Pompeo and Dempsey again, they can sleep easy knowing that the two former on-screen lovers departed on fair terms.
In a recent interview with former co-star Ellen Pompeo, Good Housekeeping revealed that the two have not spoken since Dempsey’s departure, but that she will always “have a place in her heart” for him.