Over the years, so many characters in the One Chicago franchise have come and gone. Whether they were simply written out of the show or were killed off in a surprising manner, there are a lot of characters to keep track of across three shows. As a medical drama, Chicago Med has been known to kill off quite a few characters, including the loved ones of Gaffney's devoted doctors.
When we met Dr. Mitch Ripley (Luke Mitchell) in Chicago Med season 9, we quickly learned a lot about his backstory and his past as a troubled kid with anger issues. Ripley turned his life around and made his way through medical school, but his past continues to creep on him. Specifically, his friend Robert "Sully" Sullivan (Daniel Dorr) remains a source of stress in his life.
In Chicago Med season 11 episode 11, Ripley reunites with Sully's girlfriend Lynne Murphy (Hope Lauren), which will inevitably have the old friends mentioning Sully and remembering how he touched their lives. Not to mention, fans will also be trying to remember exactly what happened to Sully. If you happened to forget about Ripley's friend Sully, we're sharing details about his fate.
How did Sully die in Chicago Med?
Sully dies in Chicago Med season 10 episode 10, titled "Broken Hearts," after his condition with lung cancers worsens. He dies from a blood clot, and while Sully was able to say goodbye to his son one last time, Ripley wasn't able to be there with Sully and Lynne at the end. Sully's death hits Ripley pretty hard and exhibits troubling behavior, leading to Ripley and Asher's relationship coming to an end. But Ripley remained helpful to Lynne and Nate even though his grief was intense.
Back in Chicago Med season 9 when Ripley started working at Gaffney, Sully came in for treatment, which became a very tenuous moment for the friends. Ripley ultimately diagnosed Sully with lung cancer. Sully initially denies treatment, but ends up going through with chemo and radiation. His decisions about his condition were also impacted by Lynne's pregnancy and the birth of their son Nate. After the events of season 9, Sully returns in season 10 with even more drama.
When Sully arrives in season 10, he had attacked someone from his and Mitch's past, and Mitch's connection to the beaten man nearly puts Ripley in legal trouble. But Sully turns himself in and goes to jail, a decision he made after a conversation with Asher. Because of Sully's lung cancer diagnosis, he gets worse while in jail, and that's when he ends up returning to the hospital. Ripley had to work in order to find a way to make sure Sully was able to remain in the hospital.
Ripley's grief over Sully's death was so bad in Chicago Med season 10 episode 12 that he ended up attacking someone and landing them at Gaffney. He wound up suspended from the emergency department, giving him time to connect with Lynne. Based on the timeline for when Lynne returns in season 11, it's been about one year since Sully died. The photos released from episode 11 find Ripley and Lynne at Wrigley Field, which surely will be a place where they remember Sully.
Watch Chicago Med on Wednesdays at 8/7c on NBC, also streaming on Peacock.