Content Warning: This article contains discussions of violence, human trafficking, baby loss, and death
In Grey's Anatomy, there is a running joke that doctors die more than patients. While this isn't exactly accurate, it often seems like the case and it was proved once again in the latest season when Andrew DeLuca was killed off. In total, 224 characters have died so far. Even crime shows come nowhere close to such numbers.
Though DeLuca didn't last that long (having been introduced in Season 11), he proved to be a very influential character. Lately, he was looking more and more like Derek's replacement in Meredith's life. While his best story arcs are well embedded in the minds of fans, some details about him are very easy to miss.
The First Main Character To Be Murdered
Before Andrew DeLuca's unfortunate death, every other main character that had died before him had gone to the afterlife as a result of an accident or illness. None had ever been fatally wounded by another character since the show rarely adopts action tropes.
This changes when DeLuca suspects a patient's 'guardian' to be a human trafficker. While the other doctors don't initially believe him, he and his sister, Carina, eventually decide to pursue her to the Seattle transit station. Unfortunately, DeLuca gets stabbed by one of the guardian's associates. Although it did look like DeLuca would recover, sadly, the surgeon succumbed to his injuries in surgery.
He Was A Cross-Country Skier
A 6-year-old patient in need of a new liver is once brought into the pediatric department. After a brief search, Cormac tells the parents that a new liver has been found. However, there's one problem. The weather is terrible and most of the highways in Seattle have been closed. This makes it impossible to go get the liver.
Surprisingly, DeLuca volunteers to go and retrieve the liver on foot. Meredith doesn't think it's a good idea since it's below 8 degrees outside with and there are very strong winds. DeLuca tells her not to worry since such low temperatures are no threat to him. He lets her know that he used to be a cross-country skier during his high school days. Fans often overlook this fact since they were mostly concerned about Deluca's safety.
The Actor Who Portrays Him Featured In Another Medical Drama
In the show, Andrew DeLuca is said to be of Italian decent. He is also portrayed by Italian-Canadian actor Giacomo Gianniotti. The actor was born in Rome before his family relocated to Canada.
What's even more interesting is that he starred in an Italian show which is similar to Grey's Anatomy. Perhaps that helped him land the role of Andrew DeLuca. The show named Medicina Generale was his first ever credited role as an actor. In it, he portrayed a doctor named Alberto Talenti. According to its IMDb description, the show is about "the lives of doctors doing their everyday jobs helping the people who are injured.”
His Favorite Bands
DeLuca's favorite bands are The Beatles and Radiohead. He mentions this in season 15's "Flowers Grow Out of My Grave," when he checks on a patient named Flor and she asks him about the things he likes.
It's also pretty clear that DeLuca is a huge fan of music since there have been several episodes where he has been seen to be playing the guitar for his friends. Sadly, fans will never get to see more of these scenes since he was killed off.
He Never Gets To Perform Surgery As An Attending General Surgeon
In season 17, Andrew DeLuca got promoted to attending surgeon but sadly dies before fans discovered what his chosen specialty was. He is thus never seen operating on a patient in the OR during his tenure as an attending surgeon.
This makes him one of the few attending surgeons in the show who are never seen operating on a patient. It's such a shame really as DeLuca did seem like he could have become one of the best surgeons at Grey-Sloan Memorial.
His Blood Type
As DeLuca is being rushed to hospital after the stabbing incident, he lets Carina and Ben know that his blood type is B-positive. The hospital is then informed that DeLuca is coming in so that they can prepare the blood. While being attended to, DeLuca goes through a lot of donated blood without showing any signs of improvement.
When he starts flatlining, Owen and other doctors attempt to resuscitate him for close to 40 minutes before giving up and calling the time of death.
The Reason He Decided Not To Be A Pediatric Surgeon
Before going to medical school, DeLuca worked as an EMT. He has mentioned how much he loved his time as an EMT since the experience there is what made him want to venture deeper into the medical field. He initially dreamt of being a pediatric surgeon but one experience changes his mind.
He once tried to save a woman who had been involved in a car crash. Sadly, he realized that the woman wasn't the only person in the car, but she also had a baby with her too. After learning the baby had died, DeLuca experienced severe trauma and decided he didn't want to be a pediatric surgeon anymore.
His Father's Specialty Isn't Known
DeLuca's father, Vincenzo, is also a surgeon. He later shows up at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital to get funding for his new research, which involves developing an external gestational sac for babies so that they wouldn't die prematurely.
While DeLuca initially funds him, he soon stops investing in the project once he realizes Vincenzo's mental health has started to deteriorate. Interestingly, Vincenzo's specialty is never mentioned. Since the patients that died were adults yet his research involved babies, it can be assumed that he is in general surgery.
Carina Was His Role Model
DeLuca's older sister Carina is a big influence to him both socially and professionally. She becomes a doctor before him, finishing her residency at the Paolo Calvino Hospital before becoming an attending OB/GYN. Due to his mother and Carina's caring attitudes, their influences encouraged DeLuca to follow in her path.
Carina has also proven to be a very responsible big sister on several occasions. One of her best moments comes when she delays telling DeLuca that their mom has died just so she can be there to hug him when he finally arrives. She gladly lets him spend three weeks on her couch too when his relationship with Sam takes a nosedive. It's a shame fans will never get anymore moments between them