For ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Fans, Teddy and Henry’s Love Story Was an Unexpected, Heartbreaking Surprise
If there’s one thing that Grey’s Anatomy fans love to do, it’s re-hash old relationships — and we’re here for it.
It’s part of what makes the long-running medical drama so binge-worthy and one of the reasons fans love to go back and rewatch old episodes. One old relationship that continues to pop up in current Grey’s Anatomy discussion forums is Teddy Altman and her deceased husband, Henry. Fans recently took to Reddit to talk about what made Teddy and Henry’s love story one of their favorites.
‘Grey’s Anatomy’: Teddy and Henry’s love story was an unexpected treat
Henry Burton first appeared as a patient in the 10th episode of season 7 “Adrift and at Peace.” Teddy became involved in his case when he admitted to her that his insurance had capped out a long time ago, but he was still in need of ongoing treatment. Instead of sending him home to die, Teddy proposed that they get married, so he could use her insurance.
As with many television romances, Teddy and Henry developed feelings for each other in the most unconventional way. After marrying her for her insurance, Henry’s health began to decline more, and this resulted in Teddy comforting and taking care of him away from the hospital. The two ultimately fell in love and fans got to watch as Teddy became happily in love for the first time, until Henry’s death in season 8.
Fans are still discussing it as one of their favorite storylines
Recently, fans took to Reddit to discuss Teddy’s recent relationship with Tom Koracick, and her relationship with Henry was brought up in the comment section. One user simply wrote “RIP Henry :(” and others chimed in with their own opinions — all of which were in agreement that they missed Teddy’s short-lived relationship with her “hottie husband.”
One commenter stated that they thought Henry was perfect for Teddy, and another user replied with, “Agreed. Unexpectedly turned out to be one of my favorite storylines of the show. I was heartbroken when he passed, and those scenes between Cristina and Teddy after the fact were so sad.”
While part of the reason fans love the Teddy-Henry storyline so much is their romance, another part is the fact that it was Cristina who operated on Henry when he ultimately died. To avoid stressing her out, the staff hid Henry’s face and name from Cristina while she was operating.
When she found out it was Teddy’s husband on the table, Cristina broke down. Teddy went on to test Cristina’s knowledge about her actions in the operating room for many episodes following, as a way to process her own grief; this conclusion is something that fans continue to appreciate for its amount of closure.
Who is Teddy with now?
After Henry’s death, Teddy departed from the show in season 8 after being offered another position in Germany, and she defended her decision to leave with the fact that she would be escaping the place where her husband died. She was brought back, however, in the show’s 14th season, when Owen went to Germany to see her. Teddy then returned to Seattle and began working at Grey Sloan once again, with the intent of raising her child with Owen.
As with most Grey’s Anatomy relationships, things weren’t that simple. Teddy bonded with Tom Koracick and the two began an affair while Teddy was engaged to Owen.
The wedding was ultimately called off after Owen found out about the affair, and Teddy is currently not seeing anyone — much to the relief of many fans who aren’t into the love triangle angle of Teddy’s story arc. One thing is clear: Teddy and Henry were truly one of the great Grey’s relationships, and neither Owen nor Tom measure up.
