Ellen Pompeo Breaks Silence on Patrick Dempsey's Shocking Grey's Anatomy Exit and We're Crying All Over Again

ABC's hit drama is taking Meredith on a new "journey" following Derek's death and the actress is hoping fans stick with the show to see how it plays out

The Grey Widow finally speaks.

How are we holding up, Grey's Anatomy fans? The ABC hit's fanbase is still reeling from the shocking and sudden (and spoiled) death of their male lead Dr. Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) in last Thursday's heartbreaking episode, which ended with his wife Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) pulling the plug on him after he was involved in a brutal car cash. It was the end of Mer-Der and the end of an era for the longrunning medical drama.

And on Monday, Pompeo finally broke her silence on Dempsey's shocking departure from the series, and how Meredith will handle Derek's heartbreaking death moving forward. Posting a photo of her statement on Twitter, with the caption, "Happy Monday!," Pompeo said she hoped fans will join her on Meredith's "journey" after the loss of her husband.

"I have always said what keeps me going is the fans. Knowing we move you and inspire you. There are so many people out there who have suffered tremendous loss and tragedy. Husbands and wives of soldiers, victims of senseless violence and parents who have lost children," Pompeo wrote. "People who get up each day and do what feels like is the impossible. So it it 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. With gratitude and respect, Ellen."

After the episode, creator Shonda Rhimes issued a statement about Dempsey's exit, saying, "Derek Shepherd is and will always be an incredibly important character—for Meredith, for me and for the fans," Rhimes says in a statement to E! News. "I absolutely never imagined saying goodbye to our 'Mcdreamy.' "

And she also previewed the "unchartered territory" the show will be heading into following Derek's death. 

"His loss will be felt by all. Now, Meredith and the entire Grey's Anatomy family are about to enter uncharted territory as we head into this new chapter of her life," Rhimes said. "The possibilities for what may come are endless. As Ellis Grey would say: the carousel never stops turning."

Dempsey took to Twitter after the devastating episode aired, tweeting, "I want to thank all the fans, what an incredible 11 yrs, I love you all."

Grey's Anatomy airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.