Eric Dane reflected on ALS struggle months before his death

Eric Dane didn’t sugarcoat it.

In his final appearance before his death at 53, the Grey’s Anatomy star called living with ALS “so horrible” – but he also revealed something surprising about himself.

Dane died Thursday, February 19, exactly 10 months after going public with his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. During a December 2025 virtual Giving Tuesday panel with I AM ALS and Synapticure, he spoke with raw honesty about his reality.

"I have no reason to be in a good spirit at any time, on any given day, I don't think anybody would blame me if I went upstairs in my bedroom, crawled under the sheets, and spent the next two weeks crying," he said at the time.

"And I was a little bit pleasantly surprised when I realized that I wasn't built like that, because I thought for sure that was gonna be me."

Dane had just filmed Brilliant Minds, playing an ALS patient – a role that hit painfully close to home. He admitted separating himself from the character was tough but called the experience “cathartic.”

He said it was “very encouraging” to discover he could stay buoyant “in the face of something so horrible.”

And he wasn’t done fighting.

"I make sure that people are aware of what ALS is and what it's about, and more importantly, what we can do to combat it… because it's so rocky,” he said, pointing to the “hurdles and bureaucracy” slowing progress.

His family confirmed his passing, saying he was surrounded by loved ones and remained a “passionate advocate” until the end.

Eric Dane leaves behind daughters Billie and Georgia.