Eric Dane recorded his heartbreaking last words to his two teen daughters, Billie and Georgia, before his death.
âBillie and Georgia, these words are for you,â the âGreyâs Anatomyâ actor began in the Netflix series âFamous Last Words,â which was released on Friday, just hours after his death was announced.
âI tried. I stumbled sometimes, but I tried. Overall, we had a blast, didnât we?â
âI remember all the times we spent at the beach. The two of you, me and Mom, in Malibu, Santa Monica, Hawaii, Mexico. I see you now playing in the ocean for hours, my water babies,â Dane continued.
âThose days, pun intended, were heaven,â he added.
Dane shared Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14, with his wife, Rebecca Gayheart. Although the former couple separated in 2017 after 13 years of marriage, Gayheart withdrew her divorce petition in March 2025 shortly before the âEuphoriaâ star announced his ALS diagnosis.
Dane went on to list four things he learned from his debilitating ALS battle that he wanted his kids to keep in mind following his death.
âI hope you wonât just listen to me, I hope youâll hear me,â he began. âFirst, live now, right now in the present. Itâs hard, but I learned to do that.â
âFor years, I would wander off mentally, lost in my head for long chunks of time, wallowing in worry and self-pity, shame, and doubt,â the âCharmedâ alum continued. âI replayed decisions, second-guessed myself. âI should have done this. I never shouldâve done that.â No more.â
After Dane asked Billie and Georgia to âtreasureâ and âcherish every momentâ of the present, he spoke to them about âfalling in love.â
âNot necessarily with a person, although I do recommend that as well,â he clarified. âBut fall in love with something. Find your passion, your joy. Find the thing that makes you wanna get up in the morning. Drives you through the entire day.â
The now-late star told his girls that he fell in love with acting when he was around their age, and noted that he still loved his work despite his diagnosis.
âMy work doesnât define me, but it excites me,â he shared. âFind something. Find your path. Your purpose. Your dream. Then go for it. Really go for it.â
Next, Dane reminded his daughters to âchoose your friends wisely.â
âFind your people and allow them to find you, and then give yourselves to them,â he suggested. âThe best of them will give back to you. No judgement. No conditions. No questions asked.â
Dane, who acknowledged that he was âso thankfulâ for his family and friends, recalled how âevery single oneâ stepped up to help him amid his ALS battle.
âI canât even do the little things I used to anymore. I canât drive around town, go to the gym, get coffee and hang out,â he said. âIâve learned to embrace alternatives. My friends come to me.â
âThey just show up. Thatâs a big one. Just show up,â Dane added. âAnd love your friends with everything you have. Hang on to them. They will entertain you, guide you, support you, and some will save you.â
The final lesson Dane left for his daughters with his last heartwrenching words was to âfight with every ounce of your being and with dignity.â
He also reminded them to ânever give upâ when faced with challenges and to always âfight until your last breath.â
âThis disease is slowly taking my body, but it will never take my spirit,â he declared.
After sharing the four lessons he wanted Billie and Georgia to keep in mind once he was gone, Dane shared two additional things he was leaving them with: his strength and resiliency.
âThe two of you are different people,â the âPrivate Practiceâ alum said. âBut youâre both strong and resilient. You inherited resiliency from me.â
âThatâs my superpower,â he continued. âI bounce right up, and I keep coming back. I get up again and again and again. So when something unexpected hits you, and it will, because thatâs life, fight and face it with honesty, integrity and grace, even if it feels or seems insurmountable.â
Dane ended his final message to Billie and Georgia by telling the pair that they âcan face anything,â before saying goodbye to his girls one last time.
âYou can face the end of your days. You can face hell with dignity,â he proclaimed. âFight girls, and hold your heads high.â
âBillie and Georgia, you are my heart. You are my everything. Good night. I love you,â Dane concluded through tears. âThose are my last words.â
Netflix released Daneâs emotional final interview just hours after the âBrilliant Mindsâ guest starâs loved ones announced his death on Thursday. He was 53.
âWith heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS,â Daneâs family announced in an emotional statement to People.
âHe spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world,â his loved ones added.
The beloved actorâs family went on to note how Dane became a âpassionate advocate for awareness and researchâ who was âdetermined to make a difference for others facing the same fightâ amid his battle with ALS.
âHe will be deeply missed, and lovingly remembered always,â they concluded. âEric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support heâs received. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time.â
Many of Daneâs former co-stars, including several from âGreyâs Anatomy,â paid tribute to him following the news of his sad passing.
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