‘Grey’s Anatomy’: Bailey’s Mom Dies — Season 17 Episode 5 Recap – Hollywood Life

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Recap: Bailey Suffers A Devastating Tragedy Amid The COVID Crisis

Bailey's world is turned upside down when her mother ends up in the hospital during the Dec. 10 episode of 'Grey's Anatomy.' Plus, Amelia and Teddy work to save Tom when he's hospitalized.

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Tom is rushed to the hospital after his COVID-19 symptoms worsen. He begins talking about his late son, David, when he arrives at the hospital. Owen and Teddy immediately rush to take care of him. Teddy is extremely worried about Tom, but Owen stresses that he’s got this. Despite his feelings about Tom, Owen doesn’t want him to die.

Meanwhile, Bailey asks Ben to go get her parents at the assisted living center. Later, Bailey is caught off guard when Ben shows up at the hospital with Bailey’s mom because she’s got COVID. Bailey manages to calm her mother down by singing “My Girl.”

Grey's Anatomy
Bailey’s mom ends up in the hospital. (ABC)

When Amelia hears the news about Tom, she rushes to the hospital. She’s desperate to save him, just like he saved her. Amelia checks Tom out, and it appears his numbers are holding.

Teddy sits down to talk with him while he’s sleeping. As she’s ranting, Tom squeezes her hand. He wakes up and tells her that he was in fact ignoring her when she stopped by his place. Tom is still Tom!

Grey's Anatomy
Teddy is worried about Tom when he’s hospitalized. (ABC)

In the midst of dealing with her mom’s health situation, Bailey stops by Meredith’s room. “I’m gonna say it, I miss you,” Bailey tells a sleeping (but recovering) Meredith. She tears up, and they’re back on the beach. Bailey reveals that her mother has Alzheimer’s. She didn’t tell Meredith because she “didn’t want to bring up any old pain for you or Richard.” Bailey wishes Meredith was awake to talk with her about her mom.

Bailey’s mom tells her in a lucid moment that she wants to go home. Later, Bailey takes a moment to breathe and opens up to Maggie. Bailey doesn’t want her mother to suffer anymore, but she doesn’t want her mother to be another statistic of COVID. Part of Bailey feels guilty that her parents were exposed at the facility she put them in. Maggie tells her that she can’t feel that way.

Bailey wishes it wasn’t this way for her mother. She should be surrounded by all of her family and loved ones when she dies. Richard tells Bailey that she has to go be by her mother’s side, or she’ll regret it forever.

Bailey and Richard go into her mother’s room. Bailey cries while singing “My Girl” and Richard joins in. Bailey’s mom passes away peacefully with her daughter by her side. The episode ends with a full list of Americans who have died of COVID-19 so far. A powerful and sobering moment.