The man once known to millions as “McSteamy” is now facing a reality that is anything but glamorous.
Behind Eric Dane’s Hollywood smile lies a daily struggle, one marked by physical decline, emotional resilience and the quiet courage of a father, husband and actor learning to live with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
For years, Dane played strong, confident characters on screen, the kind who always seemed in control. But in real life, the 52-year-old actor now finds himself at the mercy of a diagnosis that has stripped away much of the control he once had over his body.
In a deeply personal sit-down with Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America that aired on June 16, the Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria star opened up about the sobering realities of living with ALS. Choking back tears, Dane revealed that the disease has left him with only one functioning arm.
“I have one functioning arm. My left side is functioning, my right side has completely stopped working. It is going, I feel like maybe a couple, a few more months and I would not have my left hand either. It is sobering,” he said.
Dane’s journey with ALS, a degenerative neurological disorder that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, began subtly. It was a weakened hand that first caught his attention.
“I did not 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 got a little worse.
“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,’” Dane shared.
It would take nine months before he finally received a diagnosis.
Since publicly revealing his condition in April this year, Dane has kept the details of his struggle largely private.
“I have been diagnosed with ALS. I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter. I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to the set of Euphoria next week.
“I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time,” he said at the time.
Perhaps the most haunting moment in his conversation with Sawyer came when he recounted a snorkeling trip with one of his daughters. What began as a simple day in the water turned into a moment of helplessness and heartbreak.
“She (Dane’s daughter) dragged me back to the boat. 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.
“I wake up every day and I am immediately reminded that this is happening. But, I do not think this is the end of my story. I do not feel like this is the end of me,” he shared.
Those who know him best echo that sentiment, especially his wife, actress Rebecca Gayheart. Despite their tumultuous past, including a divorce filing in 2018 that was officially withdrawn this March, Gayheart has been Dane’s rock throughout his diagnosis.
“We have managed to become better friends and better parents. She is probably my biggest champion and my most stalwart supporter and I lean on her,” Dane mentioned.
Together, they are raising their daughters, Billie Beatrice (15) and Georgia Geraldine (13), in their Los Angeles home; a home they have shared since 2000.
According to the ALS Association, the disorder typically appears with no known family history in 90 per cent of cases. Only five to 10 per cent are considered familial ALS. As of now, there is no known cure, though there are FDA-approved treatments that may slow its progression.