Eric Dane, the actor known for his roles in Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria, has provided a deeply emotional update on his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). In his first interview since his diagnosis, Dane spoke candidly about the physical toll the aggressive neurological disorder has taken on his body.
“I have one functioning arm. My dominant side, my left side, is functioning,” he told Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America Monday. “My right side has completely stopped working.” At 52, Dane shared his fear that his left side would soon follow suit. “I expect a few more months before my left arm and hand give out as well,” he said. “It’s sobering. I’m worried about losing function in my legs.”
Dane recalled the first signs of his illness, which began with weakness in his right hand. Initially, he thought it was simply from texting too much. But as the symptoms worsened, he sought medical help, visiting multiple specialists over nine months before being diagnosed with ALS. “I will never forget those three letters,” he said, referring to the disease’s acronym. “It’s on me the second I wake up.”
Throughout this difficult journey, Dane has relied heavily on his wife, Rebecca Gayheart, whom he shares two daughters with. Despite their separation in 2018, they reconciled in March, shortly after his ALS diagnosis. “I call Rebecca. I talk to her every day,” Dane shared tearfully. “We’ve managed to become better friends and better parents. She is probably my biggest champion and most stalwart supporter.”
Dane’s optimism remains strong despite the grim prognosis. “I don’t think this is the end of the story. I don’t feel in my heart like this is the end of me,” he said. However, he also acknowledged the many uncertainties of the illness. “I’m angry because there’s a very good chance I’m going to be taken from my girls when they’re very young,” he added. “One of my children recently rescued me from the ocean when I realized I couldn’t swim.”
In April, Dane publicly announced his ALS diagnosis, a progressive disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to the loss of muscle control. There is currently no cure.
