'Grey’s Anatomy' star Eric Dane dies at 53 after battling with ALS
In April 2025, Dane publicly announced he had been diagnosed with ALS, a progressive disease that attacks the nerve cells controlling muscle movement
- Feb 20, 2026,
- Updated Feb 20, 2026 11:39 AM IST
Eric Dane, best known for his roles on “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Euphoria,” has died at 53, less than a year after revealing he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
His representatives said Dane died Thursday from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
“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,” a family statement said, requesting privacy.
Dane's rise to fame
Dane rose to fame in the mid-2000s when he joined ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” as Dr Mark Sloan, nicknamed McSteamy, a role he played from 2006 to 2012 and reprised in 2021. Though his character was later killed off following a plane crash, his presence remained embedded in the series’ legacy, with Seattle Grace Hospital renamed Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.
In 2019, Dane shifted dramatically in tone, portraying the troubled Cal Jacobs in HBO’s “Euphoria,” a role he continued until his death.
He also led the TNT drama “The Last Ship” as Tom Chandler, the captain of a U.S. Navy destroyer navigating a post-apocalyptic world. In 2017, production on the show was halted as Dane battled depression.
Public announcement of the ailment
In April 2025, Dane publicly announced he had been diagnosed with ALS, a progressive disease that attacks the nerve cells controlling muscle movement. The condition gradually impairs the ability to walk, speak and breathe, with most patients dying within three to five years of diagnosis.
Soon after, Dane began advocating for ALS awareness. Speaking at a news conference in Washington on health insurance prior authorisation in June 2025, he said: “Some of you may know me from TV shows, such as ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ in which I play a doctor. But I am here today to speak briefly as a patient battling ALS.”
In September 2025, the ALS Network named him Advocate of the Year, citing his efforts to raise awareness and support for those living with the disease.
Dane's early life
Born on Nov. 9, 1972, and raised in Northern California, Dane lost his father, a Navy veteran and architect, to a gunshot wound when he was 7. After high school, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting, securing guest roles on “Saved by the Bell,” “Married...With Children,” “Charmed,” “X-Men: the Last Stand,” and a season on the medical drama “Gideon’s Crossing.”
Dane is survived by his wife, actor Rebecca Gayheart, and their two daughters, Billie Beatrice and Georgia Geraldine. The couple married in 2004 and separated in 2017. Gayheart filed for divorce in 2018 before later seeking to dismiss the petition.
Eric Dane, best known for his roles on “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Euphoria,” has died at 53, less than a year after revealing he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
His representatives said Dane died Thursday from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
“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,” a family statement said, requesting privacy.
Dane's rise to fame
Dane rose to fame in the mid-2000s when he joined ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” as Dr Mark Sloan, nicknamed McSteamy, a role he played from 2006 to 2012 and reprised in 2021. Though his character was later killed off following a plane crash, his presence remained embedded in the series’ legacy, with Seattle Grace Hospital renamed Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital.
In 2019, Dane shifted dramatically in tone, portraying the troubled Cal Jacobs in HBO’s “Euphoria,” a role he continued until his death.
He also led the TNT drama “The Last Ship” as Tom Chandler, the captain of a U.S. Navy destroyer navigating a post-apocalyptic world. In 2017, production on the show was halted as Dane battled depression.
Public announcement of the ailment
In April 2025, Dane publicly announced he had been diagnosed with ALS, a progressive disease that attacks the nerve cells controlling muscle movement. The condition gradually impairs the ability to walk, speak and breathe, with most patients dying within three to five years of diagnosis.
Soon after, Dane began advocating for ALS awareness. Speaking at a news conference in Washington on health insurance prior authorisation in June 2025, he said: “Some of you may know me from TV shows, such as ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ in which I play a doctor. But I am here today to speak briefly as a patient battling ALS.”
In September 2025, the ALS Network named him Advocate of the Year, citing his efforts to raise awareness and support for those living with the disease.
Dane's early life
Born on Nov. 9, 1972, and raised in Northern California, Dane lost his father, a Navy veteran and architect, to a gunshot wound when he was 7. After high school, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting, securing guest roles on “Saved by the Bell,” “Married...With Children,” “Charmed,” “X-Men: the Last Stand,” and a season on the medical drama “Gideon’s Crossing.”
Dane is survived by his wife, actor Rebecca Gayheart, and their two daughters, Billie Beatrice and Georgia Geraldine. The couple married in 2004 and separated in 2017. Gayheart filed for divorce in 2018 before later seeking to dismiss the petition.