Grey's Anatomy Season 13 Episode 24: A Fond Farewell To...

The doctor is out.

Probably forever.

On Grey’s Anatomy Season 13 Episode 24, fans were forced to say goodbye to yet another series regular on this beloved drama.

But this wasn’t a case of Katherine Heigl dissing the series and getting shown the door.

Or of Patrick Dempsey openly expressing his irritation with his role and getting killed off in violent fashion.

This time around, those who follow the show closely weren’t even surprised when Jerrika Hinton’s Stephanie made a declaration about her job and her future and how she needs to take a long break.

The actress had previously asked to be released from her contract after landing a starring role in Alan Ball’s new HBO drama series Here, Now.

And the request was gladly accepted by creator Shonda Rhimes, who released the following statement after the Grey’s Anatomy finale aired on Thursday night:

Actors evolve differently and when an actor like Jerrika comes to me and says she wants to try something new creatively, I like to honor that/

Jerrika has shared so much of herself with Stephanie and I am incredibly proud of the journey we’ve taken together.

While I’m sad to see Stephanie leave Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital, I am excited to see what’s next for Jerrika.

For her final episode, Stephanie acted as a hero while a fire raged throughout the hospital.

She saved a young woman’s life and then collapsed in a heap from burns she suffered shortly afterward, telling Richard while being treated that something had to change for her.

"I need to travel and… explore… and hike… and breathe… away from the monitors and the blood," Stephanie said, lying in a hospital bed and then telling her mentor:

"You changed my life, Dr. Webber. You taught me how to take my past and find my path. Thank you."

Ball, who created True Blood for HBO, is coming out with a series that chronicles the Bishops, a multi-racial family made up of a philosophy professor father (Tim Robbins) and his lawyer wife (played by Holly Hunter).

The couple has adopted three children from Somalia, Vietnam and Colombia and also has a biological child.

Hinton will portray Ashley, one of the adopted children who is now the powerhouse behind an online fashion shopping site.

This character was was born in America to Somalian refugees and was taken in by the Bishops when her mom died and her dad was deported.

To see Hinton bid farewell to the show that made her famous, click below and watch Grey’s Anatomy online:

The series itself is still going strong.

It will kick off Season 14 in September and it has spawned an upcoming Grey’s Anatomy spinoff, one set in Seattle and focused on a group of firefighters.

What other major news did ABC announce this week about future programming?

Find out below!

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