This interview contains spoilers for The Walking Dead Season 9, episode 5, “What Comes After.”
Although Rick didn’t die in Andrew Lincoln’s final episode of The Walking Dead, our hero was visited by several “ghosts” from his past while attempting to outrun a herd of walkers and make it back to his family: Jon Bernthal’s Shane, Scott Wilson’s Hershel, and Sonequa Martin-Green’s Sasha – each of whom gave our bleeding hero some much needed advice and motivation when it seemed he might be ready to give up and become zombie chow.
Many fans were disappointed that Chandler Riggs’ Carl and Sarah Wayne Callies’ Lori didn’t make an appearance for Rick’s swansong, given their close connection with the character, but Walking Dead showrunner Angela Kang tells IGN that their close familial bond is exactly why the writers chose to keep Carl and Lori out of sight.
Source: IGN.com Here's Why Carl and Lori Weren't in Rick's Final Walking Dead Episode