Eric Dane, known for his roles in Grey’s Anatomy and Last Ship, and his family are prioritizing professional assistance as they navigate life following his ALS diagnosis. The 52-year-old actor disclosed his ALS diagnosis in April, also known as motor neurone disease, in a statement to People. His wife, Rebecca Gayheart, shared at Step Up’s 2025 Inspiration Awards that they, along with their two daughters, Billie (15) and Georgia (13), are adapting to their “new normal.”
During the event, Rebecca mentioned, “We have professional therapists supporting us, and we’re striving to maintain hope and handle it with dignity, grace, and love. It’s heart-wrenching. My daughters are truly struggling, and we’re just trying to persevere through this challenging time.”
Eric, in his announcement of the diagnosis, requested privacy for himself and his family during this period. In a subsequent interview on Good Morning America with Diane Sawyer in June, he reflected on the harsh reality of living with the disease, expressing, “I wake up every day, and I’m immediately reminded that this is happening. It’s not a dream.”
Despite Rebecca filing for divorce in 2018, the couple later reconciled. She emphasized, “I don’t think I’m at a place yet where I can find a positive takeaway. I’m not there yet. I mean, we’re definitely dealing with something that has brought us all together, and Eric will always be my family, whether we’re married or not, or living in the same house or not, but yeah, we are closer, but we don’t like the reason why.”
“It’s a horrible disease, and I wish that there was a cure. I hope they find one soon because it is just so sad,” she added.
In a recent development, Eric announced a collaboration with the nonprofit I Am ALS, following a missed appearance at the 2025 Emmy awards where he was slated to present with fellow Grey’s Anatomy star Jesse Williams. In a video message, he stated, “For over a century, ALS has been incurable, and we’re done accepting the status quo. We need the fastest path to a cure, and that’s why I partnered with I Am ALS on the Push for Progress. Our goal: a billion dollars over the next three years.”
He further expressed, “Together, we’ll renew the landmark law Act for ALS, provide promising treatments to thousands of patients like me, and finally, finally, push towards ending this disease.”
The legislation, signed in 2021 and set to expire in 2026, empowered the Department of Health and Human Services to finance treatments and directed the Food and Drug Administration to allocate resources towards finding a cure.