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Patrick Dempsey Shares Update on 'Grey’s Anatomy' Costar Eric Dane's ALS Battle
Hollywood is coming together in the wake of Eric Dane’s death.
Shortly after the Grey’s Anatomy alum’s wife Rebecca Gayheart and their daughters Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14, announced he had died Feb. 19 following a battle with ALS, many of his friends and former costars shared their grief.
“Heartbroken to hear about the passing of Eric,” his Redeeming Love costar Nina Dobrev wrote on her Instagram Stories alongside a picture on set with him. “He was warm, generous, prepared, and so passionate about what he did. He led with kindness and made everyone on our set feel seen.”
The 37-year-old also reflected on his ALS diagnosis, which he revealed in April.
“ALS is a cruel and unforgiving disease,” Nina continued. “May his memory inspire more research, awareness, and progress toward a cure. He will be deeply missed.”
Alyssa Milano, who played Eric’s love interest on Charmed, reflected on her friendship with the Euphoria actor, too.
“I can't stop seeing that spark in Eric's eye right before he'd say something that would either make you spit out your drink or rethink your entire perspective,” she wrote on Instagram. “He had a razor-sharp sense of humor. He loved the absurdity of things.”
She added, “My heart is with the people who were lucky enough to be his home.”
Eric’s Valentine’s Day costar Ashton Kutcher also shared his heartbreak.
Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post via Getty Images
“The Franklin strip fanatics fantasy football league will miss Mr. Eric Dane,” the That ‘70s Show actor wrote on X. “We know you’ll be watching from the booth. Miss you, buddy. Let’s keep fighting the fight to solve ALS.”
Meanwhile, his Grey’s costar Kevin McKidd shared a picture of Eric to his Instagram Stories, simply writing, “Rest in Peace Buddy.”
Momodu Mansaray/Getty Images
Of course, his Euphoria family shared their condolences, too, with creator Sam Levinson telling Variety in a statement, “I’m heartbroken by the loss of our dear friend Eric. Working with him was an honor. Being his friend was a gift. Eric’s family is in our prayers. May his memory be for a blessing.”
Read on to learn more about Eric's journey with ALS.
(VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)
Opening Up About His Private Health Battle
Eric Dane shared that he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in April 2025.
"I have been diagnosed with ALS,” Dane told People at the time. “I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter.”
Todd Williamson/January Images/Shutterstock
Returning to Set
The Euphoria star made it clear that he wasn’t stepping away from the screen amid his diagnosis, sharing in April 2025 that he was continuing to film the final season of the HBO series.
And Dane, whose Amazon MGM Studios series Countdown debuted over the summer, admitted that acting has kept him “sharp” has he navigates his health battle.
"I feel great when I'm at work," he explained to E! News in June 2025. "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."
FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images
Detailing His First Symptoms
Two months after sharing his diagnosis, the Grey’s Anatomy alum spoke candidly about his journey, including the symptoms that led to his diagnosis.
"I started experiencing some weakness in my right hand," Dane told Diane Sawyer in a sit-down on Good Morning America in June 2025. "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."
After nine months of appointments, which involved visiting two hand specialists and two neurologists, Dane was told he had ALS.
"I will never forget those three letters," the father of two explained. "It's on me the second I wake up. It's not a dream."
John Salangsang/Shutterstock
“Sobering" Road Ahead
While sharing how the rare degenerative disease has affected him physically so far, he also detailed where he sees the progression headed.
“My left side is functioning, my right side has completely stopped working," Dane shared during his interview with Sawyer. "I feel like maybe a couple more months, and I won’t have my left hand either. It’s sobering."
Rob Latour/Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images
A Close-Knit Support System
As Dane goes through this health battle, his wife of over 20 years, Rebecca Gayheart, who filed to dismiss their 2018 divorce in March, has been by his side.
“I call Rebecca. I talk to her every day,” Dane shared during his interview with Sawyer. “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."
According to Gayheart, she and Dane are the “best of friends.”
“We are really close. We are great co-parents,” the Beverly Hills, 90210 star explained to E! News April 9, 2025. “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.”
Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
Prioritizing Family Time
While Dane has been marking milestones with his and Gayheart’s daughters Billie and Georgia, he’s admitted he resents how his ALS is affecting the lives of his family members.
"I'm angry, because my father was taken from me when I was young," the actor, whose father died by suicide when he was a young boy, said during his GMA interview. "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."
Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images & VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images
Emmys Absence
Dane was set to present at the 2025 Emmys alongside his Grey's Anatomy costar Jesse Williams on Sept. 14 but ended up missing the award show. A few weeks after his absence, Dane shared that he had to skip the show because of a hospital visit.
“ALS is a nasty disease," he said during an interview with The Washington Post published on Oct. 2. "So I was in the hospital during the Emmys getting stitches put in my head."
"I was a really upset about it,” Dane added. “But you know, there was nothing I could do about it."
Chelsea Lauren/Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images
His Hopes for the Future
Dane met with doctors and representatives from the I Am ALS organization in September, 2025, and spoke with California congressman Eric Swalwell about federal funding towards research for the currently incurable neurological disease.
“I wanna ring every bell,” Dane told Swalwell in a TikTok video posted by the politician on Sept. 29. “I have two daughters at home. I wanna see them graduate college, get married, maybe have grandkids.”
SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images
His Tragic Passing
Dane died on Feb. 19 at age 53 following his yearlong battle with ALS. His family confirmed in a statement to E! that he "spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters."
“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,” his family's 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. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time.”
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