‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Star Eric Dane Dies at 53 After Devastating ALS Battle—Months After Estranged Wife Rebecca Gayheart Revealed They Were Living Separately

"Grey's Anatomy" star Eric Dane has passed away at the age of 53 following a devastating battle with ALS—after his estranged wife, Rebecca Gayheart, revealed that they were living separately.

The actor, who was diagnosed with the degenerative neurological disease in April 2025, died on the afternoon of Feb. 19. His death was revealed in a statement by his reps.

“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.”

Dane and and Gayheart, 54, tied the knot in 2004, and share children Billie Beatrice, 15, and Georgia Geraldine, 13.

Gayheart filed for divorce from Dane in 2018; however, in March 2025, just one month before the "Grey's Anatomy" alum announced his diagnosis, she dismissed the filing.

While speaking on the podcast, "Broad Ideas," Gayheart previously opened up about the state of their relationship, insisting that she will always be there as a source of support for Dane, even though their marriage had ended.

“We’ve been separated for eight years. The kids live with me 100% of the time. There’s been lots of just stuff, other stuff,” she told hosts Rachel Bilson and Olivia Allen.

She added that it is important for her to be a "role model" for her daughters, particularly in how she treats her former spouse.

“I am definitely trying to show them that we show up for people, no matter what. He is our family. He is your father. We show up, and we try to do it with some dignity and some grace and just get through it and that we will get through it the best we can," she said.

Gayheart noted that she was staying afloat and helping her loved ones by trying to "stay optimistic."

“I don’t know if I’m doing it well or doing it in the wrong way or the right way. I’m just showing up... and trying to be there for them. I guess time will tell,” she added.

The mom of two noted that her daughters are strong and "good girls," who are feeling the pain of life's lessons.

“Listen, I am definitely experiencing growth as a person, as a human being. It’s all very humbling.

“This is life. Life, sadly, is just moments good and bad, strung together,” she said, noting that it's crucial to take care of yourself in these difficult moments as well.

Dane previously assured fans he had no plans to give up on treatment, as he advocated for the reauthorization of the Accelerating Access to Critical Therapies (ACT) for ALS Act, which was passed in 2021.

That legislation is currently due to expire in 2026, according to CNN.

Dane left his hometown of Los Angeles and jetted off to Washington, DC, with the nonprofit organization, I AM ALS, to meet with U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone of New Jersey.

The Hollywood star previously candidly spoke about his own diagnosis in a video shared on TikTok by U.S. Rep. Eric Swalwell of California.

"ALS is the last thing they want to diagnose anybody with. So often, it takes all this time for these people to be diagnosed, well, then it precludes them from being a part of these clinical trials," he said.

"That's why ACT for ALS is so so great, and it's because it broadens the access for everybody."

At the time, Dane noted that he is fighting with all the power he has for his family.

The actor said, "I have two daughters at home. I want to see them, you know, graduate college, and get married and maybe have grandkids. You know, I want to be there for all that. So I'm going to fight to the last breath on this one."

Gayheart previously told People that their whole family had been suffering as a result of his diagnosis.

"We have some professional therapists who are helping us, and we're just trying to have some hope and do it with dignity, grace and love.

"I mean, it's heartbreaking. My girls are really suffering, and we're just trying to get through it. It's a tough time," she said.

In September, the A-lister revealed that he was partnering with I AM ALS in an Instagram video.

"I'm Eric, an actor, a father and now a person living with ALS," Dane said while wearing a T-shirt that read "I AM ALS."

Dane's trip came nearly months after he opened up about how his day-to-day life had been affected by his devastating ALS diagnosis, in a heartbreaking interview with Diane Sawyer.

During an appearance on "Good Morning America" on June 16—his first on-screen sit-down since he revealed his diagnosis—Dane shared a devastating look inside his life, explaining to Sawyer that he had only been left with one working arm.

"I have one functioning arm," he said. "My left side is functioning, my right side has completely stopped working."

However, Dane noted that he believes he is starting to lose function in his left arm, explaining that "it is going," and adding: "I feel like maybe a couple, a few more months and I won’t have my left hand either. It's sobering."

He told Sawyer about a particularly harrowing incident when he was snorkeling with his daughter and lost the ability to keep himself afloat—leaving his child forced to haul him back to their boat.

"She dragged me back to the boat," he recalled. "I was like, breaking down in tears. I made sure she got back to the water with her friend and continued on with the snorkeling. I was just heartbroken."

Dane confessed that—while he is determined to fight the disorder for as long as he can—he can't help but feel plagued by it every morning.

"I wake up every day, and I'm immediately reminded that this is happening," he said.

However, while the actor admits to being weighed down by his diagnosis, he insisted that it will not be the "end" of him.

"I don't think this is the end of my story. I don't feel like this is the end of me," he said.

Speaking about his diagnosis, Dane revealed that he first grew concerned that something was wrong when he noticed his right hand felt weaker than normal.

"I didn’t really think anything of it at the time," he recalled. "I thought maybe I’d been texting too much or my hand was fatigued, but a few weeks later I noticed it got a little worse."

However, even after speaking to medical experts, it took Dane nine months to receive an official diagnosis, during which time he was bounced from doctor to doctor as they struggled to find the root cause of his issues.

"I went and saw a hand specialist, who sent me to another hand specialist. I went and saw a neurologist and the neurologist sent me to another neurologist and said, ‘This is way above my pay grade,'" he said.

ALS, short for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a disorder that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, according to the ALS Association.

For around 90% of cases of ALS, there is no known family history or a genetic mutation linked to ALS.

For 5% to 10% of cases, there is a family history of the disease. This is often referred to as familial ALS.

There is currently no known cure for ALS. However, there are FDA-approved medications that may help slow down the progression of the disease.

After sharing his diagnosis, Dane closely guarded many of the details of his medical battle—and it is not known whether he had been able to complete his on-screen projects as planned, despite his excitement about returning to the "Euphoria" set.

According to his IMDB page, the actor had three projects that were due to be released: "Euphoria" Season 3, which is expected to premiere in 2026; a 13-episode thriller called "Countdown," which will be released on June 25; and a movie called "Family Secrets."

Dane rose to stardom after appearing in ABC's hit medical drama "Grey's Anatomy," where he played the role of Dr. Mark Sloan, who was often referred to as "McSteamy."

At the time of his death, Dane was believed to be residing in a three-bedroom, three-bathroom pad that sprawls across 2,265 square feet, which he snapped up with Gayheart in 2000 for $949,000.

While previously speaking to Sawyer about the status of his relationship, Dane was full of praise for Gayheart, paying tribute to the actress for her unwavering support throughout his diagnosis.

"We have managed to become better friends and better parents," he explained. "She is probably my biggest champion and my most stalwart supporter, and I lean on her."