Eric Dane made his final appearance less than three months before his death.
Dane appeared on a virtual panel for IAMALS.org on December 2, 2025, and discussed the impacts of his diagnosis.
“I have no reason to be in a good spirit at any time, on any given day,” Dane said. “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.”
Dane went on to note that he was determined to continue his career in the industry. “I’m not about to concede my purpose for some disease. I just am not capable of doing that,” he said.
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He continued, “I’m fairly limited in what I can do physically as an actor, but I still have my brain and I still have my speech, so I’m willing to do just about anything.”
For Dane, sharing his diagnosis and health journey was “imperative” because he didn’t “feel like my life is about me anymore.”
“And it’s something I’ve had to wrestle with because I’m a pretty selfish person, and I would love my life to be all about me, but I just can’t — I don’t think I’d be able to move forward if that were the case,” he said.
Dane went on to note that his family — which includes two daughters with Rebecca Gayheart — was his “first priority” while also promising to use his platform to raise awareness for ALS.
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“This is such a big deal to me, to 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 and improve the landscape,” Dane said. “Because it’s so rocky and littered with hurdles and bureaucracy and all this other nonsense that we’re trying to sift through so we can get to a place where we can start working on solutions.”
Less than one month before his death, Dane made headlines when he missed ALS Network’s Champions for Cures and Care Gala on January 24, where he was being recognized as Advocate of the Year.
“The ALS Network has been informed that Eric Dane had hoped to join us this evening to accept his Advocate of the Year Award, but due to the physical realities of ALS, he is not well enough to attend,” the organization said in a statement, per The Hollywood Reporter. “We remain deeply grateful for his courage, advocacy, and continued commitment to the ALS community, and we honor him fully this evening with our profound respect and support. Aaron Lazar, Broadway star and Grammy Award nominee, will accept the award on his behalf.”
Dane shared his ALS diagnosis in April 2025. Less than one year later, Us Weekly confirmed he died at age 53 on Thursday, February 19.
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“With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS,” a statement from his family read. “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. 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.”
The message continued, “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.”
Before his death, Dane’s final TV appearance came on NBC’s Brilliant Minds playing a firefighter who struggles to tell his family about his ALS diagnosis. He is expected to appear in Euphoria season 3, which premieres in April.
