Grey’s Anatomy: 10 Characters Who Actually Survived

In 13 seasons, Grey’s Anatomy has handed us a laundry list of heartbreaking tragedies, killing off some of our most beloved characters in brutal ways.

But not every tragedy has an unhappy ending. Many characters on Grey’s Anatomy beat the odds instead. Here are a few characters on Grey’s Anatomy who nearly died, but didn’t.

1. Preston Burke

This was long before we’d become accustomed to the idea that main characters can be killed off on the show. Burke was shot at the end of Season 2 just outside the hospital.

Meanwhile, Izzie was cutting Denny Duquette’s LVAD wire, banking on the fact that Burke would be able to save him. Burke eventually left the show anyway, returning briefly to offer Cristina a job.

2. Izzie Stevens

Izzie battled cancer for much of Season 5. Chemotherapy and brain surgery took a toll on her, and the season ended with her coding on table.

As Izzie’s life drifted away from her, we watched her in that prom dress getting in the elevator, where she saw George, who was also dying. Izzie survived (George didn’t, RIP) but eventually left the show anyway.

3. Alex Karev

One of the most intense, unforgettable, stressful tragedies to ever strike the series was the mass shooting on Grey’s Anatomy Season 6 Episode 23. The shooter, an angry father who was after Derek, claimed the lives of Reed and Charles.

Alex was also shot, and he fought to survive by crawling into an elevator in search of help. (Derek was also shot, and survived that particular incident. Don’t worry, we’ll talk about Derek in a bit.)

4. Callie Torres

A pregnant Callie was thrown through the windshield in a car wreck, and just barely survived it. We watched her fight during Grey’s Anatomy‘s musical episode, and thankfully, both she and the baby pulled through.

5. Cristina Yang

Oh, the plane crash. That crash claimed the lives of Lexie and Mark, and changed the lives of those characters who survived it forever. Cristina was one of those survivors, and the aftermath was devastating to her emotionally.

That wasn’t the only time Cristina’s life was in danger. She also nearly died from an ectopic pregnancy in Grey’s Anatomy Season 2.

Of course, her character has also since left the series, but she left for a pretty impressive job rather than being killed off.

6. Arizona Robbins

Arizona was another survivor from the plane crash, but she didn’t leave it unscathed. She ended up losing her leg, which a struggle for her during the following the season. The stress of that also greatly affected her relationship with Callie.

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