In Station 19 Season 5 Episode 16, “Death and the Maiden,” Andy Herrera’s (Jaina Lee Ortiz) mom, Elena, returns to the ABC drama. She heads to the fire station looking for her daughter after hearing the news that the police arrested Andy for allegedly killing Jeremy (Daniel Di Tomasso). In season 5 episode 15, the man who sexually assaulted and attacked Andy died. In the last moments of the hour, police officers arrested Andy for manslaughter despite her self-defense statement. Andy’s mother returns as a guest star after nearly two seasons without an appearance (aside from flashbacks). Here’s the refresher recap viewers need regarding everything between Andy and her mom in Station 19.
Who plays Andy’s mom in ‘Station 19’? 
Patricia De León plays Andy’s mom, Elena Herrera, in Station 19. Viewers might recognize her from the HBO Max TV series, Generation or the FX series, Mayans M.C. According to IMDb, she also made appearances in NCIS: Los Angeles, Stumptown, NCIS, Men of a Certain Age, and Cold Case.
What happened to Andy’s mom?
For most of Andy’s life in Station 19, she believed that her mother died when she was nine. However, in Station 19 Season 3 Episode 16, Andy goes to her aunt’s house and finds her mother still alive. Viewers had to wait all summer to find out what happened when Andy reunited with Elena.
Then in the Station 19 Season 4 season premiere, Andy listened to her mother explain how she never wanted a child. People insisted that Elena would change her mind once she had her daughter. Although Elena loved Andy, her mental health declined after having her baby. She tried to stay, but no one talked about depression and Elena didn’t know what to do.
“I felt hopeless,” Elena explained to Andy. “I felt like a failure and I wanted to die because there was no way out. There was not a way out that wouldn’t destroy you. But I loved you. I still love you, Andy.”
Andy left after hearing that her father, Pruitt, begged Elena to return to their family after 9-11, but she refused. That was the last time Andy saw her mother until Station 19 returned on May 5 for season 5 episode 16.
Why is Andy’s mom back?
Before Andy’s mom returns in Station 19 Season 5 Episode 16, it’s important to recap the flashback from the previous episode. In episode 15, Andy remembered a time when a boy hit her. Elena insisted that Andy receive self-defense training from another firefighter so that if it happened again, she could defend herself.
