Doc has a longstanding conflict with Mel’s dad, Everett, that was unpacked in Virgin River Season 6.

Netflix’s Virgin River Season 6 finally revealed why Doc hates Everett so much, and it has something to do with a prior tragic accident.

Mel’s father, Everett, emotionally returned in the last Christmas-themed episode of Season 5, with the father-daughter pairing finally reuniting after all these years.

However, Everett reveals that some people in the town dislike him because of something he did in the past. It turns out that Doc (Mel’s boss and surrogate father) has a longstanding issue with him.

What Happened Between Doc and Everett In Virgin River, Explained

Virgin River Season 6 sees the conflict between Doc and Everett (played by John Allen Nelson) take the spotlight in most episodes.

While Everett’s secret was only alluded to in the first few episodes of Season 6, it wasn’t until Episode 5 that Doc dropped the bomb on why he hates Everett so much, telling him, “Because of you, a boy is dead.”

Doc’s longstanding conflict with Everett carries over to Mel, and it even becomes the reason why Doc becomes uninvited to her wedding.

Mel points out that she wants Doc to be at her wedding, but she can’t understand why he can’t forgive her father after all this time.

In Virgin River Season 6, Episode 8, it is revealed that Doc hated Everett all these years because he blames him for the death of a boy named Jordan Pullman, eventually holding a grudge against Mel’s father.

Over 10 years ago, Jordan showed up at Doc’s clinic in need of urgent care but was preoccupied with another emergency; he was saving Everett’s life after he was involved in a car accident for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Doc blamed Everett for Jordan’s death, but he didn’t know every bit of the truth that made Mel’s father drive drunk during that time.

It turned out that Everett was not driving drunk and it was not a joyride. Instead, he drove into the tree on purpose because he wanted to die.

Everett then revealed that it was during the same timeframe when Mel’s mother, Sarah, had died:

“I didn’t swerve off the road, Vernon. I drove into that tree on purpose. I wanted to die. After Sarah died, I was lost.”

Everett lost purpose in his life after Mel’s other father rejected his request to let his daughter know about him because he thought losing the only father she had ever known would be “too much for her to take.”

Losing the chance of ever knowing Mel shattered him from the inside, which led to his suicide attempt.

While admitting what he did was stupid and selfish, Everett noted that Jordan dying during the hours while Doc was with him wasn’t anyone’s fault.

While Virgin River Season 6 didn’t reveal how Mel’s mother died, it was more than enough reason for Everett to have a tragic suicide attempt because of how heartbreaking it was to lose Sarah.

Did Everett & Doc Resolve Their Issues in Virgin River?

Everett’s revelation of the truth to Doc was the main reason the two former enemies made peace. Everett even acknowledged that Doc saved him in his darkest hour.

After understanding Everett’s mental state during the accident and his current health scare due to his heart problem, Doc eventually accepts Mel’s father, and the pair forge a strong bond ahead of the wedding.

Doc is even the one who treats Everett after he suffers from a heart attack on the day of Mel’s wedding.

To cement their newfound friendship, Doc lends a hand in making sure Everett’s surprise for Mel at the wedding is perfect by creating a temporary release order from the hospital for him to ensure his attendance on his daughter’s special day.

He also helps Everett complete the song he wrote for Sarah, leading to his heartfelt performance during the wedding.