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‘This Is Us’ Fall Finale’s Eight Moments to Make You Ugly Cry: That 911 Twist!

We didn’t think it was possible, but we cried harder than we’ve ever cried before during the Tuesday, December 6, episode of everyone’s favorite tearjerking drama, This Is Us. We don’t know how we’re going to get through the holidays without the Pearson family and all their drama, but this episode packed enough shocks, twists and tears to last Us at least until January.

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Here are eight moments from the fall finale that will keep us crying until 2017. Watch the highlights in our video recap above!

Little Kate’s Big Surgery!

The episode kicked off with a flashback to the ’80s, where we saw little Kate getting her appendix taken out on Christmas Eve. Poor thing! We got choked up when Rebecca (Mandy Moore) handed her daughter a branch of a pine tree for good luck before her surgery and said, “Nothing bad ever happens on Christmas Eve.” Moore is the Christmas miracle we’ve all been waiting for!

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The Doctor Who Delivered the Triplets Is Dying?

While at the hospital, Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and Rebecca ran into the man who delivered Kevin and Kate, Dr. K (Gerald McRaney). When he revealed he was likely going to die due to internal bleeding, Jack and Rebecca were determined to stay by his side — even as he cracked jokes at their expense. We laughed so hard that we cried when Dr. K dissed Jack’s facial hair by saying, “You trying to wax poetic on me? I’d rather you wax that mustache.” We nearly bawled when little Randall came into the hospital room and gave Dr. K a snow globe, thanking him for helping his parents adopt him. The tears!

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Kevin and Sloane Are Going Rogue

While they may not be an actual couple (yet), Kevin (Justin Hartley) and Sloane (Milana Vayntrub) really seemed to bond this week when she brought him as her date to her family’s Hanukkah dinner. After hearing Sloane give a stirring speech about the story of Hanukkah, Kevin became inspired. Despite the fact that the producers pulled out of the play following the disappearance of Olivia (Janet Montgomery), Kevin said, “Screw these producers — we can put the play on ourselves.… I’ll put up my own money. I have faith in us. I believe in us.” We believe in Us too, Kevin!

Kate Revealed She Has Taken Antidepressants

During a consultation for her bypass surgery, Kate (Chrissy Metz) was joined by her mother, Rebecca. When the doctor asked if she’d taken medication for depression, Kate responded, “Prozac.” Rebecca seemed shocked — this was clearly news to her. Later, in the car, Rebecca confronted her daughter and asked, “Did I do this? I did. Didn’t I?” We wanted to give them both a huge hug when Kate responded tearfully, saying, “I don’t know.”

Susan Kelechi Watson as Beth, Eris Baker as Tess Pearson and Sterling K. Brown as Randall (from left)

William Reunited With His Boyfriend

Later in the episode we got to watch as William (Ron Cephas Jones) reunited with his boyfriend, Jesse (American Horror Story’s Denis O’Hare). We nearly sobbed when his dryly funny former partner gave a stirring Narcotics Anonymous speech about how William’s sudden disappearance from his life made him turn to drugs again. 

The tears started falling out of our eyes like a waterfall when Jesse said, “William Hill, I loved you, and you left. Now I’d like to spend whatever time you have remaining together.”

Mandy Moore as Rebecca

Randall Talked His Coworker Off the Ledge … Literally

While at his office Christmas party, Randall (Sterling K. Brown) impressed us all with his grace and compassion as he confronted his coworker Andy (Westworld’s Jimmi Simpson), who attempted to take his own life by jumping off a roof. 

Randall urged Andy to consider his daughter before he leaped. After Andy walked away from the ledge, Randall echoed his mother’s line from earlier in the episode, saying, “Nothing bad happens on Christmas Eve.” We got chills!

Justin Hartley as Kevin, Eris Baker as Tess and Milana Vayntrub as Sloane (right)

When Dr. K Survived

Toward the end of the episode, we flashed back to the ’80s, where we saw Dr. K wake up after his surgery. After having been convinced he was going to die, the warm and funny doctor muttered to himself, saying, “Well, I’ll be darned.” We were darned too, Dr. K! We sobbed tears of joy until they eventually turned into tears of sorrow (you’ll see why in the next paragraph).

Toby Showed Up to Christmas Eve — and Then Collapsed

This ending nearly gutted Us. We’re still heaving with tears. When Toby surprised Kate at Randall’s house for Christmas Eve, we were sure everything was going to be warm and fuzzy again. But of course, This Is Us had to throw in a gut punch of a twist for the fall finale to keep Us in agony until the return in January. 

After bonding with Kate’s family and even having steamy sex upstairs with his boo, Toby clutched his chest and collapsed onto the floor. Everything moved in slow motion as we heard Beth mutter, “Call 911.” This can’t be happening. All we want for Christmas is for Toby to not be dead — is that too much to ask? Our tear ducts literally couldn’t handle it.

Tell Us: What do you think will happen to Toby? Do you think he’ll pull through?

This Is Us airs on NBC Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET. 

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