Actor Eric Dane has died aged 53. The "Grey's Anatomy" star on Thursday, just 10 months after publicly revealing he had been diagnosed with ALS. Confirming the heartbreaking news, Dane's family shared a statement with People, saying: "With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS."
"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 heartbreaking statement continued. "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."
Gone too Soon
"The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time," the statement added. Dane had spoken candidly about living with ALS, revealing that he was diagnosed in April 2025. ALS is a progressive neurological disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, gradually robbing people of muscle control, according to the Mayo Clinic.
There is currently no cure.
In an emotional interview with "Good Morning America" in June 2025, Dane opened up about the moment he first realized something was wrong, sharing details about the earliest symptom that signaled the start of his illness.
"I started experiencing some weakness in my right hand, and I didn't really think anything of it at the time," the actor explained to Diane Sawyer.
"I thought maybe I had been texting too much or my hand was fatigued. But a few weeks later, I noticed it had gotten a little worse."
In September 2025, Dane was seen using a wheelchair at an airport in Washington, DC, where he appeared frail and had difficulty speaking as a paparazzo tried to question him. "Keep the faith, man," Dane said softly and haltingly when he was asked if he had a message for worried fans.
Just a few months later, in December 2025, he made it clear that his determination hadn't faded, saying he still hoped to keep acting even as his illness continued to progress. "I still have my brain, and I still have my speech," he explained during a panel discussion put on by I Am ALS and "Brilliant Minds," noting that he was "willing to do just about anything."
Final Fight
Late last month, Dane was forced to abruptly withdraw from an ALS-related event as his health declined. Organizers said he canceled "due to the physical realities of ALS" and because he was not "well enough to attend."
Earlier in the year, Dane and his wife, Rebecca Gayheart, quietly decided to call off their divorce in March 2025 — just a month before he publicly revealed his ALS diagnosis, choosing to face the difficult road ahead together.
The former couple married in 2004 and share two daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14.
In a deeply personal essay for The Cut published in December 2025, Rebecca Gayheart offered clarity about her relationship with Dane, explaining that they "haven't lived in the same home for eight years." She said that while their bond has changed, it hasn't disappeared, writing that their "love may not be romantic, but it's a familial love."
Gayheart also acknowledged that both have moved forward in their own ways, noting that "he's dated other people, [and she has] dated someone" — including 78-year-old billionaire Peter Morton — since she first filed for divorce in 2018.
