Top 20 Greys Anatomy Moments That Made Us Happy Cry

Season 6 began with a whopper of a change for our physicians. The merger between Seattle Grace and Mercy West brought with it a whole new set of challenges, characters, and exits in the form of hospital-wide layoffs. We got a brief moment to see the characters exist outside the sterile walls of work when Derek, Mark, and Owen dragged Meredith, Cristina, and Lexie out for a late-night athletic outing. Our favorite doctors are given so few chances to unwind, and some, especially Cristina, don’t even really know how. But watching them come together over a baseball game offered us a rare and brief glimpse of a world where they get to be content for a little while.

Haunted by an abusive husband, Dr. Jo Wilson lived in fear that he might find her, and in this episode, her worst nightmare came true. Unfortunately, her ex, Paul, is a doctor himself. Meredith and Jo didn’t exactly have the easiest friendship. No matter where they stood personally, though, operating next to Paul is a trying experience for Meredith. She also made a point to deny all of Paul’s attempts to turn their Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital colleagues against Jo. On a grander scale, it was the show itself honoring a commitment to believe victims in poignant fashion.

Dr. April Kepner was a goody-two-shoes to the nth degree. She’s not the kind of person to leave a man at the altar. But when Dr. Jackson Avery interrupted her wedding to Matthew, the paramedic, the two ran off together like a couple at the end of a classic movie. Whether it’s the grandness of the gesture or the acoustic version of “Total Eclipse of the Heart” playing over the scene, it’s an unforgettable moment of peak romance. Who cares that April started panicking after running off with him afterward? For a brief moment, everything was perfect – perfect for them, at least. Matthew didn’t have a great time.

If you couldn’t tell by the babbling, Meredith Grey’s therapy was going well. She had finally untied some emotional knots left behind by her mother, and was ready to recommit to a relationship with Derek. Rather than just tell him, because that’d be no fun, she decided to make a big, corny romantic gesture. She arranged candles into a makeshift floor plan on the spot where Derek wanted to build their house. Her speech about being extraordinary together instead of being ordinary apart became a touchstone for them as their relationship changed and matured. It’s hard not to tear up watching it all unfold.

Perhaps no “Grey’s” wedding went as wrong as Jo and Alex’s, and that’s saying something. There've been cold feet, interruptions, and people left at the altar, but this was a cut above. It took a lot for their relationship to get off the ground in the first place, and the nuptials were no different. But for all it took to get there, the final result had Meredith becoming the impromptu officiant, and the two finally tying the knot on a ferry boat. It was a perfectly fitting, moving ceremony for a group of people constantly being put through the wringer, only to come out stronger on the other side.

Between George O’Malley’s bus accident and Izzie’s brain tumor, you’d think the tears in this episode would all be the most gut-wrenching kind. But even in all that sadness, the show still found a way to put a neat little bow on the story of Meredith and Derek. The two planned to slip out away to City Hall to get married, but life and patients kept getting in the way. Rather than wait for the legal document, they put their impromptu, unofficial, but beautiful wedding vows on a Post-It note. It wasn’t a marriage license, but the two realized they didn’t need to make it legal right this second if they’re this certain they’re in it for the long haul – aww!

Watching two beloved characters break up and endure a nasty divorce is one thing. Their child being caught up in the middle is another thing. Fans may have had their favorite in Arizona Robbins and Callie Torres’ split, but truth be told, no one thought Sofia should be taken from either of her mothers. Arizona may have won custody of their daughter, but rather than remaining bitter, she surprised Callie with a change of heart. Co-parenting would be better for all of them. Who wouldn’t choke up at the sight of absolute relief and gratitude on Callie’s face?

Longtime fans looked forward to season 17 with bated breath. It was the COVID season, but it was also the season many past performers would return to Meredith Grey’s life. As she lay in a hospital bed, struggling to survive the devastating virus, she drifted to an imaginary beach where she got closure with characters who had previously died. But it was seeing her deceased husband throughout that made it all worth it. Their reunion was so full of love and childlike wonder, and their subsequent conversations and eventual goodbye, while not always easy, were hopeful. It almost made us forget all they had been through. Or, maybe, it’s because they’d been through so much that seeing them happy again was too much to take.

Dr. Miranda Bailey is the glue that keeps this whole show together. She’s shown initiative when trying to keep her practice responsive and adaptable to changing healthcare needs. In later seasons, she responded to a very real reproductive care crisis, doing things like training doctors to perform life-saving procedures. When she was tapped to present the prestigious Catherine Fox Award, she had no idea she was being tricked. Though not a nominee, she became the surprise recipient, and who better to present the award than one of her original interns, Meredith? She was overcome with emotion, and so were we, because she was finally getting the recognition she has always deserved.

Much of Meredith and Derek’s relationship was unconventional. From loaded elevator meetings to tense, post-quarrelling teamwork on the job, they carved out a particular and unique bond. In season 5, they made things official. Instead of a sappy, flowers, and bended-knee proposal, Derek made their engagement about the thing most important to them, the medicine. He papered over the entire elevator with scans and other mementos from the many cases they’d worked on together. It was a testament to how much better they could be together than apart, something Meredith told him when she finally committed to being with him.

These two fight hard but they aren’t afraid to love even harder. We’ve known Richard for a long time, we’ve seen him mentor future generations of doctors, break down racial barriers, struggle with substance use, lose his wife and in the end we just want him to be happy. Catherine is more than a match for him; she’s a legend in her own right and more importantly she loves him. Their wedding was passionate and sincere, representing a promise made by two people who’ve both experienced pain but are excited for their future together.

They may not be together anymore but their time in the sun was beautiful. We love the LGBTIA+ representation and creator Shonda Rhimes wanted to do it right, since same-sex marriage wasn’t legal in the United States yet when this episode aired. The entire wedding was an outpouring of love, both brides were glowing and happy, and Bailey even officiated. Callie’s mom unfortunately didn’t support the marriage and chose not to come, but her Dad returned in time for some tear-jerking words and their father-daughter dance.

Sometimes tragedy and joy walk hand-in-hand, and the end result is a lot of confused crying. It was supposed to be Derek and Meredith’s wedding but Izzie’s cancer is advanced and spreading, so they gave their wedding day to Izzie and Alex. Already, emotions were high, and when Izzie started walking down the aisle, it was almost too much to handle, especially when George helped her. And then we got to the vows. It was impossible to keep dry eyes as Alex spoke, promising to be there for her and ready for anything life throws their way.

When we first met Miranda Bailey, she was a little bit terrifying, and that’s putting it nicely. Over the years however her tough exterior revealed a warm and caring woman with drive we want to root for. We saw her struggle and work hard so when she finally became Chief of Surgery, it was easy to cheer and wipe our eyes along with her. Especially when Richard passed on his stethoscope and told her all the reasons she’s perfect for the job. She was also a trail blazer, becoming the first female Chief in the history of the hospital, and we couldn’t imagine a more deserving woman.

After Meredith had a miscarriage and was diagnosed with a hostile uterus, she assumed she couldn’t get pregnant. But sometimes good things come to those who least expect it. When Meredith got pregnant she got a “world’s best big sister” shirt for Zola, and Derek’s reaction was perfect. He was super happy and his usual optimistic self as he reassured Meredith that good things happen to them. It was a beautiful and intimate moment and by the end they just giggled and hugged at the thought of another baby coming into their lives.

It will take us a while to get over the death of Jackson and April’s first baby, Samuel, but this is a happy list. Jackson and April had one last fling before they divorced, and April got pregnant, this time with a very healthy little girl. Harriet’s birth was less than ideal, with a traumatic home C-section, and April nearly lost her life in order to bring her into the world. Once things settled down though, seeing Jackson and April finally happy with a little bundle in their arms was exactly what our hearts needed.

Goodbyes are always bittersweet and this one will have you grabbing tissues. Cristina and Meredith have been BFF goals since the day they met. They’ve been through it all together including natural disasters, love and heartache. We thought the twisted sisters would be side-by-side forever but then Cristina got an amazing opportunity in Switzerland. Cristina’s parting speech to Meredith was, well, beautiful. She reminded Mer how special she is and how she makes her brave. And at the end of the speech they danced it out one last time...

If this show has taught us anything, it’s that in the face of tragedy the only thing we can do is rise above the ashes and make life meaningful. That’s exactly what the medical staff did after the plane accident that took the lives of Mark Sloan and Lexie Grey. When Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital became owned by the doctors that work there, Jackson proposed a new name, Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital: a fitting tribute to two amazing doctors and a constant reminder of what the hospital should stand for.

All Meredith’s life, she lived in her mother’s shadow. Ellis Grey was a world-renowned surgeon, won two Harper Avery Awards and had high expectations for her daughter. Meredith felt inadequate and suffocated by her mother’s legacy until her successful abdominal wall transplant. It was a ground-breaking operation that got Meredith her own Harper Avery and the sense of accomplishment she’d been searching for. She was too busy operating to accept the award herself, but Jackson’s emotional speech on her behalf evoked all the feelings. When she looked up to the gallery, Mer saw her family, peers, and the proud ghost of Ellis Grey.

From the moment Derek and Meredith laid eyes on baby Zola in the hospital she had them hook, line and sinker. They were hopelessly in love with her and talked about adopting her soon after meeting her. They even rush to get married to get her, but of course things couldn’t be too easy for them. They almost lost Zola when she got sick, and a social worker even told them the adoption was unlikely when Mer lied about their marital status. Things were grim until the fateful moment when there was a knock on the door and it was Zola - the moment Meredith and Derek became parents.

Which “Grey’s” moment gave you all the feels? Tell us in the comments.