Eric Dane, the actor best known for his role as Dr. Mark Sloan on Grey's Anatomy, passed away on February 19 at the age of 53 after a yearlong battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, the neurodegenerative disease also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. His death was confirmed by his family in a statement to E! News, noting that he spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14. Dane had gone public with his diagnosis in April 2025, just nine months after first noticing symptoms, and he used his platform to advocate for greater awareness and research funding for the incurable condition.
Born in 1972, Dane rose to fame in the mid-2000s with his charismatic portrayal of the plastic surgeon nicknamed "McSteamy" on the long-running ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy, where he appeared from 2006 to 2012. His career spanned a range of projects, including roles in Euphoria, Brilliant Minds, and the Amazon MGM Studios series Countdown, which debuted in the summer of 2025. Even as ALS began to affect his mobility, Dane refused to step away from acting, emphasizing in interviews that work kept him mentally sharp amid the physical decline.
The actor first shared details of his health struggles during a June 2025 appearance on Good Morning America, where he recounted the subtle onset of symptoms. "I started experiencing some weakness in my right hand," Dane told host Diane Sawyer. "I didn’t really think anything of it at the time. I thought maybe I’d been texting too much or my hand was fatigued, but a few weeks later I noticed it got a little worse." What began as a minor concern escalated over nine months, involving visits to two hand specialists and two neurologists, before he received the devastating diagnosis in April 2025.
"I will never forget those three letters," Dane said of learning he had ALS, a disease that disrupts communication between nerve cells and muscles, eventually leading to paralysis and respiratory failure. In a statement to People magazine at the time, he expressed gratitude for his family's support: "I have been diagnosed with ALS. I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter." Despite the prognosis, Dane made it clear he had no intention of retiring, continuing to film the third and final season of HBO's Euphoria shortly after going public.
Throughout his battle, Dane spoke openly about the physical toll of ALS, describing in his Good Morning America interview how the disease had progressed asymmetrically. "My left side is functioning, my right side has completely stopped working," he shared. "I feel like maybe a couple more months, and I won’t have my left hand either. It’s sobering." Yet, he maintained an optimistic outlook, telling E! News in June 2025 that his spirit remained "buoyant." "I feel great when I'm at work," he explained. "Of course, there have been some sort of setbacks, but I feel pretty good. My spirit is always pretty buoyant, so at the end of the day, that's all that matters."
Dane's determination to keep working extended to high-profile projects, but the disease occasionally interrupted his professional commitments. He was scheduled to present at the 2025 Emmy Awards on September 14 alongside his former Grey's Anatomy co-star Jesse Williams. However, Dane missed the event due to a hospital visit. In an October 2 interview with The Washington Post, he revealed the reason: "ALS is a nasty disease. So I was in the hospital during the Emmys getting stitches put in my head." He added, "I was really upset about it, but you know, there was nothing I could do about it."
Amid the challenges, Dane drew strength from his close-knit family. He had been married to actress Rebecca Gayheart for over 20 years, though they separated in 2018 and she filed for divorce that year. By March 2025, Gayheart had moved to dismiss the divorce, and the couple focused on co-parenting their daughters. "I call Rebecca. I talk to her every day," Dane told Sawyer on Good Morning America. "We have managed to become better friends and better parents, and she is probably my biggest champion and my most stalwart supporter, and I lean on her."
Gayheart echoed this sentiment in an April 9, 2025, interview with E! News, describing their relationship as one of the "best of friends." "We are really close. We are great co-parents," she said. "We really figured out the formula to staying a family and I think our kids are benefiting greatly from it and we are as well." Dane prioritized time with Billie and Georgia, marking family milestones even as he grappled with resentment over how ALS was impacting their lives. "I'm angry, because my father was taken from me when I was young," he shared on GMA, referring to his own father's suicide when Dane was a boy. "And now there's a very good chance I'm going to be taken from my girls while they're very young. 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."
"I'm going to ride this till the wheels fall off," Dane told E! News in June 2025. "It keeps me sharp. It keeps me moving forward, which is super important right now."
Beyond personal resilience, Dane became a vocal advocate for ALS research and awareness. In a December 2025 virtual panel hosted by the nonprofit I AM ALS, he explained his motivation: "It’s imperative that I share my journey with as many people as I can because I don't feel like my life is about me anymore. I would love my life to be all about me, but I just can't." He added, "I want to make sure that people are aware of what ALS is and what it's about, and more importantly, what we can do to combat it and improve the landscape."
His advocacy efforts included direct engagement with policymakers. In September 2025, Dane met with doctors, representatives from I AM ALS, and California Congressman Eric Swalwell to discuss federal funding for ALS research. During the meeting, captured in a TikTok video posted by Swalwell on September 29, Dane expressed his personal stakes: "I wanna ring every bell. I have two daughters at home. I wanna see them graduate college, get married, maybe have grandkids." These interactions highlighted Dane's commitment to turning his diagnosis into a catalyst for change, emphasizing the need for breakthroughs in a disease that currently has no cure.
Dane's family statement following his death underscored his legacy as both an actor and an advocate. "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," they said. "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."
The entertainment industry and ALS community have responded with tributes, reflecting on Dane's courage and candor. His openness about the disease's progression—from initial hand weakness to broader mobility loss—served as a stark reminder of ALS's relentless nature, affecting an estimated 30,000 people in the United States at any given time, according to the ALS Association. While Dane's story ends tragically, his advocacy may leave a lasting impact on efforts to fund research and support those living with the condition.
As fans and colleagues mourn, questions linger about ongoing projects like Euphoria's final season and Countdown, where Dane's presence was felt even in his final months. His battle also spotlights the broader fight against ALS, a disease that claimed baseball legend Lou Gehrig in 1941 and continues to elude effective treatments. Dane's words from the I AM ALS panel resonate as a call to action: raising awareness not just for himself, but for the thousands navigating similar paths.
In the wake of his passing, the family plans a private service, with no public memorial details announced yet. Dane's journey, marked by vulnerability and defiance, has inspired many to learn more about ALS and support organizations like I AM ALS, which Dane championed until the end.