Eric Dane spoke candidly about how his ALS diagnosis made him feel in the months before his death at age 53.
“I don’t think this is the end of my story. I just don’t feel like in my heart this is the end for me,” Dane shared in a June 2025 interview with ABC News. “I’m fighting as much as I can. There’s so much about it that’s out of my control.”
While the Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria actor tried to stay positive, the diagnosis — which impacts 5,000 new people every year — made him feel angry at times.
“I’m angry because my father was taken from me when I was young, and now there’s a very good chance I’m going to be taken from my girls while they are very young,” Dane shared with Diane Sawyer. “At the end of the day, all I want to do is spend time with my family and work a little bit if I can.”
Dane — who lost his father to suicide when he was 7 years old — shared daughters Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14, with wife Rebecca Gayheart.
Although Gayheart, 54, initially took steps in February 2018 to legally end her marriage to Dane, she filed to dismiss their divorce proceedings in March 2025.
During his interview with Sawyer, 80, Dane said his wife is the one he called when life got hard.
“I talk to her every day,” he shared while trying to hold back tears. “We have managed to become better friends and better parents, and she is my biggest champion and supporter. I lean on her.”
One day that proved to be extra challenging for Dane was when he was on a boat trip with his youngest daughter, Georgia.
While he was once a competitive swimmer and water polo star, Dane recalled one instance months before his ABC News interview where he realized his ALS diagnosis was having an impact on his body.
“When I jumped into the ocean that day and I realized I couldn’t swim or generate enough power to get myself back to the boat, I thought, ‘Oh God,’” he recalled. “I realized at that moment I’m not safe in the water anymore. [My daughter] dragged me back to the boat. I was breaking down in tears. I made sure she got back in the water with her friend and continued on with the snorkeling. But I was heartbroken.”
News broke on Thursday, February 19, that Dane had died at the age of 53. His death also marked 20 years since he made his debut on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy as Dr. Mark Sloan.
In a statement shared with Us Weekly, his family revealed that the actor was “surrounded by dear friends” in his final days.
“Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight,” the statement read. “He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered always. Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he’s received. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time.”
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