Eric Dane shared first ALS symptom that he ‘thought nothing of’
Eric Dane revealed the first symptom he experienced before his devastating ALS diagnosis, which has now tragically claimed his life.
The Grey’s Anatomy star has died at the age of 53, with his family confirming he passed away ‘surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife and his two beautiful daughters,’ on Thursday, 19 February.
The actor spoke out last year about being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - sometimes called Lou Gehrig's disease, and during an interview with Diane Sawyer, he revealed the first symptom he’d experienced around a year and a half earlier.
"I started experiencing some weakness in my right hand, and I didn’t really think anything of it at the time,” he told Sawyer, while appearing on Good Morning America in June last year.
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“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.”
After noticing the pain wasn’t going away on its own, the Euphoria star went from one hand specialist to another, and was then referred onto two neurologists. But it wasn’t until nine months later that he finally received the devastating diagnosis.
ALS affects the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. It's a progressive disease that often starts with muscle twitching and weakness, but eventually sufferers lose control of the muscles needed to move, speak, eat and breathe.
Scientists still don't fully understand why people develop ALS, and there is no cure.
Dane said: "I will never forget those three letters. It's on me the second I wake up."
By summer 2025, his right arm had ‘completely stopped working’ and during the interview he admitted his left arm was slowly going too, leading him to believe it only had ‘a few more months,’ before it would be completely gone.
At the time, he expressed his fear that his legs would soon go too, following a terrifying experience which saw his eldest daughter forced to pull him out of the sea.
The father-of-two was in the ocean during a boat trip when he realised he ‘couldn’t swim or generate enough power to get [himself] back to the boat,’ forcing him to admit he was no longer safe going in the water.
He also admitted he was ‘angry’ about developing ALS as he’d lost his father at a young age, ‘and now, you know, there's a very good chance I'm going to be taken from my girls while they're very young.’
Dane is survived by his two daughters, 15-year-old Billie and Georgia, 14, as well as his on-off wife, and the mother of his children, Rebecca Gayheart.
"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," his family said in a statement.
"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."
Emma Rosemurgey