Eric Dane Dead: What's Known About His Cause of Death

Grey's Anatomy and Euphoria star Eric Dane has died at 53 years old from complications of ALS, as confirmed by a statement released by his family.

Eric Dane Lost His Battle With ALS

On February 19, 2026, Eric Dane's family released a statement to several outlets confirming that the actor had died due to complications from ALS. "With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS." Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a currently incurable neurodegenerative disorder that destroys the motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. That results in progressive muscle weakness and paralysis, eventually affecting the ability to walk, speak, and breathe. Most people die from respiratory failure within two to five years of diagnosis

Less than a year earlier, in April 2025, Dane exclusively revealed his diagnosis to People. "I have been diagnosed with ALS. I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter.” He married the actor Rebecca Gayheart in 2004 and was the father of two daughters, Billie and Georgia.

What Eric Dane Said About His Battle Against ALS

When Eric Dane first revealed his ALS diagnosis, he told People that he felt lucky to still be able to work as an actor at that time. “I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to the set of Euphoria next week."

Two months later, in June 2025, Dane opened up to Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America about the reality of the disease. "I wake up every day and I'm immediately reminded that this is happening. It's not a dream." He also shared his fears about losing the ability to walk and predicted, "I feel like maybe a couple, few more months, and I won't have my left hand [functioning] either."

In December 2025, during his advocacy work for ALS, Dane reflected on his surprising resilience. "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. 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.”

He also spoke during the December interview about feeling compelled to share his ALS journey with the world. “I think it’s imperative that I share my journey with as many people as I can because I don’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’d love for 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." At the time of those remarks, Dane was using an electric wheelchair to travel.

Our thoughts are with Eric Dane’s family, friends, and fans during this difficult time.