Derek Shepherd died in 2015 on Grey’s Anatomy. His death occurs in season 11, episode 21, “How to Save a Life,” which originally aired on April 23, 2015.
Derek is fatally injured after stopping to help people involved in a roadside car crash. After rescuing the victims, he is struck by a truck while returning to his own car. At the hospital, delays in recognizing his severe head injury prevent timely treatment, and he is declared brain-dead.
Meredith arrives at the outside hospital and makes the painful decision to remove Derek from life support. The following episode, “She’s Leaving Home,” focuses on the aftermath and Meredith’s grief. A common mix-up is confusing the episode’s 2015 air date with Derek’s fictional death date, which is sometimes listed as March 26 or April 23, 2015.