left worried she failed again when she apparently never gets the results, but finally learns that they were sent to the hospital and Frank had simply failed to give Abby her mail. Abby's very first day as a doctor begins shortly after Abby learns that she passed her boards when Pratt and Chen fall victim to a road rage incident and Abby is called in as a doctor to help save her friends lives. In the 2000–2001 season, Abby is visited by her mother, Maggie Wyczenski (Sally Field), who has bipolar disorder. Abby's childhood is revealed to have been very difficult: she was forced to cope with her mother's erratic behavior and long absences and had to take care of her younger brother Eric (Tom Everett Scott). Eric is introduced in later episodes. He is in the US Air Force but goes AWOL and is showing signs of bipolar disorder. He refuses to accept it and clashes with both Abby and Maggie as a result. Abby eventually reconciles with her mother during the beginning of Season 13 as Maggie is taking medications for her disorder regularly, and Abby is grateful for her support when her son Joe is born prematurely. Abby's father, Eddie, left the family when Abby was a child, due at least in part to Maggie's uncontrollable behavior. Abby reunites with her father (Fred Ward) in season 13, when he initially approaches her under the guise of being a patient named Eddie Jackson before finally revealing his true identity to her. Abby tells him to stay away from her, although she later considers inviting him to her wedding. Abby dates Dr. Kovač, Dr. Carter and Jake, a medical student, but eventually returns to Kovač, with whom she has a son. They later marry. She befriends many colleagues in the ER throughout the series, co-workers such as Susan Lewis, and Kerry Weaver. Her closest friend is Dr. Neela Rasgotra, who graduates medical school with her and lives with her during some of Neela's hard times. As Carter is phased out of the show and Weaver departs midway through Season 13, Abby and Luka Kovač are the senior figures on the show until their departure in 2009. Personal life Prior to beginning medical school at County, Abby was married to Richard Lockhart; she and Richard were expecting a child at one point, but Abby chose to have an abortion, since