ASL is as a “rare, terminal neurodegenerative disorder that results in the progressive loss of both upper and lower motor neurons that normally control voluntary muscle contraction,” the ASL Association explains, and actor Eric Dane, the Grey’s Anatomy star, is one of the celebrities who passed away from this awful disease.
Other celebrities who lost their lives to the disease are baseball legend Lou Gehrig, after whom the disease is often named Lou Gehrig’s disease, physician Stephen Hawking, Sesame Street co-founder Jon Stone, jazz bassist Charles Mingus, Sandra Bullock’s partner Bryan Randall, and SpongeBob SquarePants creator Stephen Hillenburg.
Dane disclosed his diagnosis some ten months ago in an interview with People.
“I have been diagnosed with ALS.
“I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next…I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.”
Dane revealed that he has lost mobility in his feet when he was spotted using a wheelchair.
The condition prevented him from attending this year’s Emmy awards. “ALS is a nasty disease. So I was in the hospital during the Emmys getting stitches put in my head,” he told Washington Post.
Back in June, Eric Dane opened up about the first ALS symptoms he experienced.
Appearing on Good Morning America, he revealed, “I started experiencing some weakness in my right hand, and I didn’t really think anything of it at the time.
“I thought maybe I had been texting too much or my hand was fatigued. But a few weeks later I noticed it had gotten a little worse, so I went and saw a hand specialist, and he sent me to another hand specialist.”
The actor continued, “I went and saw a neurologist and they sent me to another neurologist and said this is way above [his] pay grade.”
Doctors were only able to diagnose him nine months after he had experienced the initial symptoms.
“I have one functioning arm, my dominant side is [my right], my left side is functioning, my right side is completely stopped working.”
Dane concluded. “My left arm is going, I feel like a couple few more months and I wont have my left either, it is sobering.”
The news of Eric Dane’s passing has been confirmed by his family.
“With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS,” Dane’s family’s statement shared with People 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. 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.”
In his final weeks, Dane announced that he had joined the board of the Target ASL Association, using his platform to raise awareness and advocate for research into the disease that quickly stole his strength.
With the photo of the announcement, he wrote: “This disease takes something from me every day. But I won’t let it take my spirit.”
While many saw it as a message of resilience at the time he shared it on the social media, fans now see it as a farewell, with one person writing, “My heart is breaking. His final post was about fighting for others. He had so much strength.”
Eric Dane was born in San Francisco in 1972, and spent the 90’s building a career in the film industry. He, however, had his breakthrough with the series Grey’s Anatomy in 2006. Though his role was originally meant to be brief, fans quickly fell for Dr. Mark Sloan, aka McSteamy, and he soon became a series regular. This role catapulted him into international stardoom.
After Grey’s Anatomy, he went on to star in several major motion pictures including X-Men: The Last Stand, Marley & Me, Valentine’s Day, Burlesque, and Bad Boys: Ride or Die.
After his diagnosis, he became a vocal advocate for ALS awareness. ”I 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,’ he 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 go, start working on solution.”
Dane is survived by his daughters, Billie and Georgia, whom he shared with his wife, Rebecca Gayheart.
Rest in peace, Eric Dane.
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