Eric Dane’s health deteriorated quickly during his heartbreaking last days before dying at the age of 53 following his brave battle with ALS, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Grey’s Anatomy alum’s family confirmed his death on February 19, less than two months after his estranged wife, Rebecca Gayheart, revealed wheelchair-bound Dane required around-the-clock nursing care.
Heartbreaking Video
Eric Dane shot to fame as Dr. Mark Sloan on ‘Grey’s Anatomy.’
Dane revealed how seriously his health was failing when he had to pull out of an event at the last minute on January 24 “due to the physical realities of ALS.”
The Vikings star was not “well enough to attend” the ALS Network’s Champions for Cures and Care Gala, where he was set to receive the Advocate of the Year Award.
Dane first revealed his ALS diagnosis in April 2025, and by September of last year, he already needed the use of a wheelchair.
That same month, the seated actor appeared in a video for I AM ALS promoting a research fundraising campaign, where he spoke slowly and with a slight slur, as the disease had already begun to affect his speech.
24/7 Care Needs
Eric Dane first went public with his ALS diagnosis in April 2025.
Even with hired assistance, Gayheart was still a primary caregiver, as she described how his needs required constant attention in a powerful essay she shared on December 29, 2025.
“The week is divided into 21 shifts. There are times that shifts aren’t covered, so I cover them,” she revealed about the volume of work involved.
“There was a 12-hour shift recently that I could not cover. I could only do four hours because of all the stuff that the kids are doing,” she explained about the needs of duo’s teen daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14.
Gayheart added, “So I had to call on two of Eric’s friends… And they both showed up and did a wonderful job.”
Eric Dane Spent His Final Days Surrounded by Family
Eric Dane wanted to spend as much time as possible with his teenage daughters in his final days.
Dane and Gayheart hadn’t lived together in eight years, as she filed for divorce in 2018. However, the Beverly Hills, 90210 alum dismissed the petition in March 2025 just before Dane went public with his ALS diagnosis.
“This year, the girls and I have spent a lot of time at Eric’s house, which is about a 12-minute drive away from our home,” the actress said about making sure the teens remained close with their father as his health declined.
“We wanna take advantage of the time that he has right now,” she added. “He made it very clear that he wants to spend time with his family as much as possible, and I am committed to facilitating that.”
Dane died less than two months after Gayheart penned her heartfelt and revealing essay.
Eric Dane’s Family’s Heartbreaking Announcement
Eric Dane died less than 10 months after revealing his ALS diagnosis.
“With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS,” an announcement from the Dane family read, confirming his passing.
“He 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,” the statement added.
