Eric Dane’s Grey’s Anatomy co-star Chyler Leigh reveals painful moment she learned he died

Chyler Leigh is opening up about the death of her beloved co-star Eric Dane.

The Grey’s Anatomy heartthrob passed away at 53 on Thursday, February 19, on the 20th anniversary of his first episode as Dr. Mark Sloan, almost one year after first announcing he had been diagnosed with ALS.

He and the Supergirl alum had one of the most popular — and heartbreaking — storylines of Grey’s Anatomy’s 22 seasons.

Chyler, speaking on the May 13 episode of the You Might Know Her From podcast, noted that it had “been a while” since she had last “connected” with Eric, before she got the news of his passing. “Then, it just hit me. At first, I was like, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe this happened,'” she shared.

Chyler further said she “didn’t know how to comprehend” that Eric had passed, and that the news didn’t really click for her until a few days later, when she was on a flight home to Nashville from Los Angeles.

“All of a sudden, it just hit,” she continued, admitting: “I had to keep getting up and going to use the lavatory because I was just sobbing.”  

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“I didn’t know it was going to hit me that hard and especially that fast,” she further shared. “It was definitely a grief.” 

Chyler, who along with Eric was a main cast member of Grey’s from seasons three through eight, recalled of working with him: “We had a deep relationship, a respect for one another,” remembering him as a “deep, deep man.”

“It was really special working with him. We always were able to laugh even amid the most absurd or devastating circumstances,” she added.

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Eric is survived by his wife Rebecca Gayheart — the couple married in 2004, separated in 2018, though ultimately called off their divorce, with Rebecca becoming a caregiver of his in his last year of life — and their daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14.

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Prior to his passing, his other beloved Grey’s co-star Ellen Pompeo also detailed their relationship, specifically after his diagnosis, when both of them appeared via pre-taped messages at the ALS Network Champions for Cures & Care Gala held at the Pasadena Convention Center. In a message, Ellen first recalled of Eric: “I remember when he came in as McSteamy and us having instant electric chemistry, and I immediately just fell in love with him.”

“As soon as I heard about his diagnosis, I texted him, and I said, ‘I’m here if you want to speak,'” she shared, and revealed that her “phone rang 30 seconds later” and that she told Eric she would help him with “whatever you need, however I can help. I love you.”