Morgan said he was not ready to leave the series at the time.
He explained that he begged the show’s creator Shonda Rhimes to let his character live.
Rhimes was understanding, but had planned from the beginning that Morgan’s character would not survive.

“A dark, grim day.
I’m still not over it.
It broke my heart to leave that show.”

“I mean, what if Denny had a twin brother named Lenny, who was a pediatric surgeon?
They need a pediatric surgeon in that hospital.”