Justin Chambers’ Alex finally got his goodbye Grey’s Anatomy episode

Update, March 6th: Well, it finally happened. Grey’s Anatomy fans finally had to say goodbye to Alex Karev, played by Justin Chambers, on last night’s, March 5th, episode of the show titled, “Leave A Light On.”

“It is nearly impossible to say goodbye to Alex Karev,” showrunner Krista Vernoff wrote on Twitter after the episode aired. “That is as true for me and for all of the writers at Grey’s Anatomy as it is for the fans.”

She continued, “For 16 seasons, 16 years, we have grown up alongside Alex Karev. We have been frustrated by his limitations and we have been inspired by his growth and we have come to love him deeply and to think of him as one of our very best friends.”

Chambers’ costar Ellen Pompeo, who plays Meredith Grey, also said her goodbyes in an emotion Instagram video chronicling some of her favorite scenes with Chambers.

“Thanks to our national treasure @therealdebbieallen and the writers for giving Alex Karev the best send off,” she wrote in the caption. “Thanks to @shondarhimes for creating the most amazing character. For me personally for Karev to go back to the beginning…. was the best possible storyline. It pays homage to those incredible first years and the incredible cast …that created a foundation so strong that the show is still standing.”

“So let’s not be sad,” Pompeo continued. “As our fearless leader DA always says let’s PULL UP and celebrate the actors the writers and the fantastic crew who make this show come to life every week.”

Okay, but truth be told, we’re going to be a little sad for a long time.

Original Post, February 28th: Grey’s fans, grab the tissues. After announcing he was departing Grey’s Anatomy after 16 seasons, Justin Chambers‘ character, Alex Karev, is getting his goodbye episode, and we don’t think we’re ready for this.

Even though we knew it was coming—in January, Chambers gave a statement to Deadline confirming his departure—it doesn’t make actually saying goodbye any easier. And this preview clip from his farewell episode will make you tear up, trust us. Featuring some of his most emotional moments on the series, it certainly seems like fans will get the tribute they’ve been waiting for, even if it hurts to actually say goodbye.

Dr. Alex Karev has been through so much during his run on the show, starting from the very beginning of the series: from workplace jerk to pediatric surgeon and Meredith’s new “person.” It’s truly heart-wrenching to see it all put together, to a tear-jerker of a background song, no less.

Watch the preview for Alex’s goodbye Grey’s Anatomy episode below, and just make sure you’re in a safe place to sob.

Whew. We need a moment to process this.

In Chambers’ January statement, he noted that he was ready to move on to different acting roles.

The episode airs on Thursday, March 5th, but fans have already taken to Twitter to share some of their reactions to the clip—including crying/screaming GIFs aplenty, of course!—which admittedly doesn’t reveal much about how his storyline will end.

Some are even pleading with the powers that be to not kill his character off, and we feel this so deeply.

Sadly, we’ll have to wait until next week to see how it will all unfold. Until then, we’re just pretending it’s not really happening. Please don’t blame us—our hearts are in a fragile state right now.