'Grey's Anatomy' honours Eric Dane with emotional McSteamy tribute

There wasn’t a dry eye in Grey Sloan memorial on Thursday night.

At the end of its February 26 episode, Grey’s Anatomy aired a 60-second tribute to the late Eric Dane, honouring his iconic character, Dr Mark McSteamy Sloan.

The montage – set to Tommee Profitt and Fleurie’s cover of Chasing Cars – revisited some of Sloan’s most unforgettable moments, from his swagger-filled introduction to his most tender scenes. 

The song, longtime fans will remember, first appeared in the show’s 2006 season 2 finale.

The tribute ended with a black-and-white portrait of Dane and a simple message on Instagram: “In loving memory of Eric Dane.”

Dane died February 19 at the age of 53, 10 months after publicly sharing his ALS diagnosis. His family said in a statement, "With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS. 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 continued, "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."

Off-screen, friends have launched a GoFundMe for his daughters, which has already raised over $467,000.

McSteamy may be gone, but the legacy? Forever.