By Wonderwall.com Editors
9:04pm PST, Feb 19, 2026
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Eric Dane died at 53 on February 19 — less than a year after he publicly revealed he'd been diagnosed with ALS.
"With heavy hearts, we share that
Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS," his family said in
a statement. "He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife [actress
Rebecca Gayheart], and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world."
"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. 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," they continued.
Keep reading to look back at how the
Grey's Anatomy and
Euphoria actor shared his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis diagnosis last year…
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Eric Dane shared the news of his ALS diagnosis with
People magazine in April 2025.
"I have been diagnosed with ALS," he said at the time.
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Eric Dane told
People magazine of his ALS diagnosis, "I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter."
"I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of
Euphoria next week," he continued, adding, "I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time."
The 52-year-old father of two daughters was married to
Urban Legend and
Jawbreaker actress
Rebecca Gayheart, though he was romantically linked to actress
Priya Jain in late 2024.
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During an April 2025 interview with
E! News,
Rebecca Gayheart said that she and
Eric Dane were "really close" and "best friends."
"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," she said.
"I think it's important to not look at a relationship that ends as a failure. It's just a season. It wasn't a failure. It was a huge success. We were married for, I mean, we are still married, but together for 15 years and we had two beautiful kids so I think that's a successful relationship, and that's how we look at it," she explained.
The duo filed for divorce back in 2018 but officially filed to dismiss the divorce in March 2025.
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Eric Dane went into production on the upcoming third season of
Euphoria in the spring of 2025.
He stars as Nate's father, abusive predator Cal Jacobs, on the hit HBO drama. His storyline for Season 3 is currently under wraps, though season 2 ends with Cal leaving his family and landing in cuffs.
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ALS — also known as Lou Gehrig's disease — is a rare degenerative disease related to the nervous system. According to the Mayo Clinic, it affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord and causes loss of muscle control. Symptoms become progressively worse over time, and there's no cure for the fatal disease.
According to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, people usually live three to five years after diagnosis.
In addition to the baseball great for whom the disease is nicknamed,
Stephen Hawking and
Roberta Flack – who
died in February 2025 – are among the famous people who've also suffered from ALS.
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Eric Dane made his television debut in the early '90s appearing on episodes of
Saved By the Bell,
The Wonder Years,
Married… With Children and
Roseanne. He had a nine-episode stint on
Charmed in 2003 and 2004 before scoring his major breakthrough with
Grey's Anatomy, on which he starred as Dr. Mark Sloan from 2006 to 2021.
He also popped up in the films
X-Men: The Last Stand,
Marley & Me,
Valentine's Day and
Burlesque.
He recently appeared in the 2024 action flick
Bad Boys: Ride or Die and in the 2025 comedy thriller
Borderline.
