When an actor or actress passes from old age, it’s a sad time, for sure, but losing a beloved star to illness is always a tragic and heartbreaking event. Eric Dane, whom many will recognize from Grey’s Anatomy, has sadly died at the age of 53. Dane has been battling ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, an awful disease that destroys the nervous system, causing the body to literally waste away. The Euphoria actor was diagnosed back in April 2025 and has done his best to stay strong, but the sickness won in the end, taking him prematurely from his loved ones and fans.
According to TMZ, Eric Dane spent his last days and moments surrounded by his friends and family, giving them all a chance to say farewell properly. Not only did the actor do his best to make do with his very unfortunate situation, but he also played a role in spreading awareness for research on ALS treatment, to help those suffering from the same disease. He even reportedly said, “If I’m going out, I’m gonna go out helping somebody.”
Besides his closest friends, wife, and children, even Euphoria creator Sam Levinson was devastated when he learned Dane passed away. “I’m heartbroken by the loss of our dear friend Eric. Working with him was an honor. Being his friend was a gift. Eric’s family is in our prayers. May his memory be for a blessing,” Levinson told Variety. Eric Dane claimed his career and life’s work are akin to art and treated it respectfully, as such.
While plenty of fans are deeply saddened by Dane’s death, many sympathize with how his daughters, Billie and Georgia, must be feeling right now. The two are in their early teen years, so losing their father at such a young age must be incredibly difficult. “It’s horrifying how fast this disease acted. It’s such a terrible illness. I can’t imagine how his poor kids are doing right now,” remarks one Redditor. Several people recall losing their loved ones to ALS, too. “It’s a horrific disease,” says a commenter on Threads.
Besides his family being heartbroken over his death, Eric Dane did not have it easy on the way out. Things became so severe with his ALS that only one of his arms was functional, as he lost physical strength day by day. It’s a terrible thing to go through, yet there’s still no known cure for the disease. At the very least, hopefully, Dane’s passing will bring more awareness and motivation to medical researchers to make a breakthrough to overcome the destructive illness that took “McSteamy” away.
