I’ve been a die hard “Grey’s Anatomy” fan since season one back in 2005, and like all other girls I fell in love with “McDreamy.”

For those of you who aren’t “Grey’s” fans, you should know that Derek Shepherd (McDreamy) was killed off. You also should know the news did not go down well with fans, and there is currently a petition on change.org demanding that McDreamy return to the show.

Tiffany Aguilera from Connecticut wrote on the website; “We’ve been loyal to you and to the show even after you took away O’Malley, Lexie, Mark (McSteamy) and Christina, but I will not accept you taking away our McDreamy.”

Currently 93,305 fans are in support of the movement to bring back Derek Shepherd to the show, but there is a major problem with this.

Derek is already dead.

In all 10 years of the show, no one has returned back from the dead. The characters may save lives, but once someone is dead, they call the time of death, there is no bringing them back, and fans need to accept that.

Patrick Dempsey, the man behind McDreamy, tweeted out, “ I want to thank all the fans, what an incredible 11 yrs, I love you all.”

Dempsey has accepted his death on the show. Fans need to do the same.

I’ve read that several fans have said they are swearing off Grey’s Anatomy forever, because they killed their favorite character but they need to realize this is only a fraction of the show. There are multiple storylines going on in the show, and just because McDreamy is dead doesn’t mean the show won’t go on.

Dempsey’s co-star Ellen Pompeo has even spoken out about hoping fans continue to watch her journey on “Grey’s”, even though her on-screen husband has died

“There are so many people out there who have suffered tremendous loss and tragedy … People who get up each day and do what feels like is the impossible. So it is for these people and in the spirit of resilience I am honored and excited to tell the story of how Meredith goes on in the face of what feels like the impossible. I hope you will all join me on her journey.”

People need to realize this is a TV show. Dempsey isn’t really a doctor, and he isn’t really dead.

Yes, his death was sad and I admit I even was mad at screenwriter Shonda Rhimes for killing him off, but I turned off the TV, went to bed and returned to reality knowing I would return to my couch the following Thursday to continue watching my favorite show.

Many beloved characters have died on the show, it’s been 10 years, and many characters will die in the future. Fans need to realize this and not throw their lives away for a fictional character.

Misti Meads is the features editor for The Dakota Student. She can be reached at [email protected].