Eric Dane, best known for his roles in Grey's Anatomy and Euphoria, passed away on February 19, 2026, at the age of 53. His death certificate, obtained by People, lists the official cause of death as respiratory failure, with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) as an underlying cause.
Dane was diagnosed with ALS in 2024 and publicly disclosed his condition the following year. He left behind a final interview for the Netflix documentary Famous Last Words, which was released posthumously on February 20. In the documentary, he described his enduring love for his wife, Rebecca Gayheart, saying: 'We still love each other deeply. I just think we don't wanna live with each other. But there's a lot of love there.'
Dane and Gayheart were married for 19 years and had two daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14. In the documentary, Dane recalled meeting Gayheart and telling a friend, 'I'm gonna marry that girl.' He also addressed his daughters directly: 'Billie and Georgia, you are my heart. You are my everything. Good night. I love you. Those are my last words.'
Gayheart broke her silence two days after Dane's death, writing online: 'I am so blown away by the outpouring of love and support from our community. There aren't words to express our gratitude. You are truly holding us up during this difficult time.' She had previously spoken about caring for Dane during his ALS battle, telling the Broad Ideas podcast: 'I am trying to show [our kids] that we show up for people no matter what.'
In the documentary, Dane reflected on what ALS taught him: 'It made me a little bit softer, a little bit more open... All I'm left with is me. It's kind of a [expletive] way of realizing that you were enough the whole time.'
