Break out the tissues, Dr. Mark Sloan fans, because it looks like Eric Dane’s character is following suit of his on-screen girlfriend Lexie and is making his exit from the show.

In a statement Dane released to TVLine, he said:

“I am extremely grateful to everyone at Grey’s, ABC and Shondaland for the experience and memories I have had over the course of this run. It has been wonderful to work alongside and learn from a creative force such as Shonda Rhimes.”

Dane, who has already stared in box office hits like Valentine’s Day and Marley And Me, said that he’s looking forward to his rising film career and wants to keep his schedule open for potential opportunities on the big screen.

So how is Dane going to make his exit? Will he die from complications of the plane crash that took Lexie away from him? We’re assuming not, since he’s signed on to do the first few episodes of the next season, but that doesn’t mean that death is completely out of the question. After all the motto at Grey’s is ‘the more far fetched, the more people love the show,’ right?