Every Time Station 19’s Dean Miller Appeared in Grey’s Anatomy, Explained

Viewers assumed that if there were going to be a Grey’s Anatomy spin-off, it would probably focus on the side hustles of one of the primary characters. However, it surprised fans when Station 19 premiered in 2018 as an official part of the Grey’s Anatomy universe. The series focused on the lives of first responders, particularly firefighters, in a similar capacity as the surgeons of Grey Sloan Memorial. Among these unsung heroes was Dean Miller, an integral part of Station 19 and one of the few characters who left the show midway.

Several characters from both shows crossed paths in different crossover episodes where the responders and the doctors connected over their shared experiences and traumas. Dean Miller regularly popped up whenever Shonda Rhimes wanted to mix things up. The brave firefighter had an interesting and emotional arc that fitted well in both Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19’s narrative.

Dean Miller Makes His Grey’s Anatomy Debut In Season 15

Season 15, Episode 4, “Momma Knows Best”

Dean Miller was one of the primary Station 19 members who specifically switched careers to be in one of the subsections of the Seattle Fire Department. He was initially making big bucks at a fancy corporate job when a drug overdose incident with one of his colleagues unlocked his potential as a first responder. Miller’s dedication and skill to save his friend caught Captain Pruitt’s eye, and he offered him a chance to put his bravery and impeccable instinct to better use. He immediately joined the academy and quickly became the center of attention at the station. Despite hailing from a prestigious background, Dean Miller proved to be a very charming and respectable man who had the profound ability to bring out the best in other people.

After cementing his worth in the fire department, Miller was one of the few chosen characters from Station 19 who crossed over to the famous Seattle Grace Hospital for their first collaborative case. He and Andy Herrera entered the Grey Sloan Memorial scene after they brought a 40-year-old burn victim named Natalie from an apartment fire that left several injured. Dean spent most of the episode babysitting Natalie’s son and getting swooned by Maggie Pierce. Although he doesn’t do much once in the hospital, he does get to meet Bailey and get acquainted with the main surgeons. Dean and Andy remain in the hospital to get checked as per the Captain’s orders and despite initially protesting the protocol, Dean ends up appreciating they stayed because of Maggie. In the end, Dean tries to ask Maggie out, but the whole thing ends up being awkward when Maggie is ambiguous about her answer.

Miller Was Briefly Present When a Car Crashed Into Joe’s

Season 16, Episode 9, “Let’s All Go to the Bar”

Dean Miller rekindled with Grey’s Anatomy cast after a full season in an intense crossover event. The firefighter briefly appeared in the Grey’s Anatomy episode where he helped Jo with the baby that was left at Station 19. Since she was a Safe Haven volunteer, they were required to hand her the baby and the rest of the episode goes by focusing on Jo’s emotional transformation with taking care of an abandoned baby. The episode ends on a cliffhanger with Ben, Pruitt, and a handful of Grey Sloan Memorial doctors and interns stuck inside a bar when a car came crashing into it.

	First Appearance in Station 19			Season 1, Episode 1, “Stuck”
	Last Appearance in Station 19		Season 5, Episode 5, “Things We Lost In The Fire”
	Played By		Okieriete Onaodowan

Dean Miller is with the Station 19 team which is dispatched to handle the critical situation. He tries his best to get his teammates out safe and sound but it’s a difficult mission with the danger of the building collapsing looming over their heads. Despite the severity of the situation, fans get to witness a tender moment between Dean Miller and Bailey as he takes her into confidence about saving her husband. Their interaction is pivotal to Dean’s struggles with trust and familial bonds. With every crossover episode, he became close to Ben and Bailey and started viewing them as his family.

He Sat Through One Of the Infamous “Grey Dinners”

Season 16, Episode 12, “The Last Supper”

Grey’s Anatomy fans are well aware of how complicated “Grey” dinners are even if Meredith Grey isn’t hosting. Most dinners in the medical drama’s realm are an utter disaster, resulting in either an awkward confrontation or ruining a relationship. Unfortunately, Station 19’s Dean Miller had the opportunity to attend one of these emotionally intense dinners with Vic who was Jackson’s girlfriend at the time and joined upon his request. However, Jackson did not realize that the small dinner party arranged by Catherine and Richard was to announce their separation. However, with guests involved, they had to stall the bad news and get through with the dinner without ruining their children’s relationship.

Of course, as per tradition, these dinners are intense, especially when exes are sitting at the same table. Dean was there because Vic thought he could have a chance with Maggie but it gets incredibly weird when Jackson claims that Maggie isn’t into rich men, as Dean also came from money as well. Halfway through dinner, it’s evident that bickering within the Avery/Webber family isn’t playful and that Dean and Vic are about to witness a familial blowout. As Richard and Catherine call it quits despite proclaiming that they still love each other, Maggie and Jackson drive each other to the edge by pointing out spiteful things about each other. Naturally, Dean and Vic felt uncomfortable being in the midst of an all-out war, and the two even tried to calm things down by mentioning that Dean lives on a boat. However, that only caused the topic to come back to Jackson, which made Maggie even angrier. The clash eventually ended with the news that Catherine and Richard had gotten out, and the latter stated that he wanted Maggie to come work at his new place. Ultimately, the episode ends with Dean realizing that Maggie may not be looking to get into a relationship at the moment, and he understands. Dean later tells Vic that she owes him one after putting him through a dinner from Hell.

Dean Miller’s Tragic End Unfolded at Grey Sloan Memorial

Season 18, Episode 5, “Bottle Up and Explode!”

It’s safe to say that Dean Miller’s heartbreaking departure from Station 19 was one of the saddest events in the series. The firefighter had achieved more than he imagined, especially with his Crisis One Initiative. Miller believed that non-violent first responders responding to non-violent emergencies could help de-escalate situations without police intervention. By Season 5, his program was thriving, and Miller was being offered lucrative opportunities to grow Crisis One. He had even accepted a job in Oakland and was all set to move there with his daughter, but he ended up tragically losing his life during a rescue mission. Dean Miller’s final Grey’s Anatomy crossover episode starts with Station 19 dealing with a major explosion that decimated an entire neighborhood.

It’s an all-hands-on-deck situation, with everyone being called in to accelerate the rescuing process. Since it was a gas explosion, they had to clear every house and look out for further gas leaks. Unfortunately, when Dean and Aquino go out to check the house that has been thrown off its foundation, it blows up with a powerful blast. It sends the team flying and while everyone was tending to Aquino and the other injured people, no one realized that Dean was lying unresponsive. Ben tries to give him CPR even through the entire drive to Grey Sloan Memorial, but Dean remains without a pulse for more than 30 minutes. As the scene cuts in Station 19, the tragic storyline continues in Grey’s Anatomy as Dean is brought to the hospital.

At Grey Sloan Memorial, mass casualty protocol has been initiated as victims swarm in one after another, including the firefighters. Baily and Owen make their way to the trauma bay after Richard informs them that there has been a second explosion. The first rig brought in Aquino, but the next rig brought with it a deafening silence, indicating that someone had died. To her pleasant surprise and dismay, the team brought in an unresponsive Dean who was pronounced dead and taken to the morgue. It was a sad day for the Station 19 crew as they suffered a major loss, especially of a person who was leaving behind a daughter. Fortunately, Ben had already promised Dean that if something happened to him, they would take in Pru. After a long discussion and weighing their options, Ben and Bailey decided to adopt Pru to honor their friend’s last wish. Dean Miller was an integral part of the Grey’s Anatomy universe, but actor Okieriete Onaodowan decided that it was time for him to move on. The actor enjoyed a thriving career after departing Station 19, appearing in the critically acclaimed musical Hamilton and other projects.