Ryan Kerrigan was a drug addict who briefly dated Amelia Shepherd prior to his death.
History
Meeting Amelia
Amelia woke up one morning with Ryan in the bed next to her. She kicked him out so she could go to work, but found him on her back porch waiting for her when she returned from work. The two slept together again and Ryan showed her the drugs they'd used the previous night, which explained why she had no memory of it. They then proceeded to do more drugs. When they ran out of drugs, Amelia used her prescription pad to get them more and sent him to a pharmacy to fill it. ("If I Hadn't Forgotten...")
Ryan continued to do drugs and drink with Amelia, using her prescription pad to get more drugs. This eventually progressed to IV drug use. ("Don't Stop 'Till You Get Enough")
Decision to Get Clean
When he interrupted the intervention that Amelia's colleagues put together, he saw how much they all loved her. He also found out about the significance of Amelia's father's watch. Ryan noticed everyone was getting a little tense and decided to take Amelia back to the hotel room with him. He said he was looking forward to seeing everyone again after things would have calmed down and then got into the elevator with his fiancée. He and Amelia went to the hotel room, where the watch inspired him to hope for many anniversaries for him and Amelia, just like the watch was the symbol for all the anniverseries of Amelia's parents. He then suggested he and Amelia have kids, two boys and two girls, but he demanded that they got clean first. They agreed to do so and to flush the last bit of pills they still had.
Overdose
However, Amelia suggested they get high one last time. He was against this idea and Amelia realized it was probably best not to do this as well, but right before flushing the pills, Ryan came back into the room and said they could get high one last time. After promising each other it really was the last time, he shot the drugs into Amelia's arm. She got high and eventually fell asleep, only to find him dead due to an overdose when she woke up.
Soon after, the maid came in and called a manager, who called the police. While Amelia stood frozen in the room, they investigated the room. Amelia then crawled onto the bed to be with Ryan for the time she had left. Before the officers put his body into a body bag, Amelia took the watch off of his wrist. Ryan's tragic death was the main reason behind Amelia's decision to get clean on her own. ("Who We Are")
Relationships
Romantic
He had a one-night stand with Amelia Shepherd after they met and did drugs together. ("If I Hadn't Forgotten...")
Amelia later told him she'd loved before, but she'd never been in love until him. He asked her to marry him. After they got engaged, she gave him her father's watch. However, shortly afterward, he died of a drug overdose. ("Who We Are")
Familial
His father was a coke head. ("Who We Are")
Notes and Trivia
- He described himself as overprivileged, overfunded, and undermotivated. ("Don't Stop 'Till You Get Enough")
Gallery
Appearances
| Private Practice, Season 5 | |||||
| #01 | "God Laughs" | #09 | "The Breaking Point" | #17 | "The Letting Go" |
| #02 | "Breaking the Rules" | #10 | "Are You My Mother?" | #18 | "It Was Inevitable" |
| #03 | "Deal With It" | #11 | "The Standing Eight Count" | #19 | "And Then There Was One" |
| #04 | "Remember Me" | #12 | "Losing Battles" | #20 | "True Colors" |
| #05 | "Step One" | #13 | "The Time Has Come" | #21 | "Drifting Back" |
| #06 | "If I Hadn't Forgotten..." | #14 | "Too Much" | #22 | "Gone, Baby, Gone" |
| #07 | "Don't Stop 'Till You Get Enough" | #15 | "You Break My Heart" | ||
| #08 | "Who We Are" | #16 | "Andromeda" | ||