Eric Dane GoFundMe benefiting late star’s daughters raises goal to $500k as friends fiercely defend fundraiser

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Friends of the late actor Eric Dane have increased the goal of their GoFundMe campaign to $500,000, as supporters have strongly defended the effort.

Family members confirmed the passing of the Grey’s Anatomy actor on Thursday, just under a year after he publicly shared his diagnosis of ALS.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, often called Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a condition that impacts the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. It can lead to muscle paralysis, and unfortunately, there is no known cure at this time.

Dane is remembered by his wife, Rebecca Gayheart, and their daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 13.

Friends organized the GoFundMe shortly after his passing on Friday to help support his daughters.

We originally aimed to raise $250,000, but we’ve since increased that goal. As of today, we’ve received approximately $244,000 in donations.

Euphoria creator Sam Levinson offered a top donation of $27,000 in the wake of Dane’s death. 

The beloved actor played Cal Jacobs in the HBO Max series. He completed filming scenes for the show’s third season before his death, and it will debut on April 12th.

Television writer and producer Brad Falchuk – who is married to Gwyneth Paltrow – donated $10,000. 

The friends who started the GoFundMe also wrote a heartfelt message below a picture of Dane and his daughters.

We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Eric Dane after a courageous fight with ALS. He is survived by his loving wife, Rebecca, and his two daughters, Billie and Georgia, who meant everything to him.

They remembered his strong support and tireless work for people with ALS, noting that he never stopped trying to help those battling this terrible disease.

Eric’s health declined much faster than expected, so his friends started this GoFundMe to help his daughters and ensure they have what they need in the future.

The message expressed gratitude for any donation, large or small, to support Eric’s daughters and help them through this challenging period and beyond.

I was so glad to see one of Dane’s close friends speak up about the fundraiser. It’s a really important effort to help support his two daughters, and it meant a lot to see someone publicly backing it.

Mike McGuiness shared a heartfelt post on Instagram remembering the actor and a trip they shared before he died.

He explained that both COVID-19 and ALS significantly impacted his career, and unfortunately, he wasn’t able to provide for his family as much as he’d planned.

I’m starting a GoFundMe and will share the link on my story for those who are able to contribute. Cherish your loved ones.

McGuiness shared a heartfelt message about Dane’s passing, saying it deeply affected him. He described ALS as a devastating disease, but noted that Dane faced it with remarkable grace and dignity.

Following his diagnosis, Dane traveled to Tokyo with friends like McGuiness to see Oasis perform in concert.

Eric realized he couldn’t change what had happened, and worrying about the future was overwhelming. Unable to use his hands, he also couldn’t distract himself with a phone. All he could do was focus on the present.

McGuiness said he felt like he got to know his friend better during that one week than he had in all their previous time together.

Gayheart expressed her gratitude to everyone on Instagram Stories for the support they’d shown through the GoFundMe campaign, simply writing, ‘Thank you to everyone.’

Dane secretly filmed a final message for his teenage daughters, intended for a Netflix documentary, before he passed away.

The film, titled ‘Famous Last Words: Eric Dane,’ is now available on the streaming platform. Reports indicate it was intended to be released only after his death.

You know, looking back on things with Billie and Georgia, I just want them to know I really gave it my all. It wasn’t always perfect – I definitely had my moments – but I truly tried my best. And honestly? We had an amazing time, didn’t we? So many good memories.

He went on to share four important lessons he learned while living with ALS, one of which was to focus on and appreciate the present moment.

Also, find something to be passionate about. It could be a person, but more importantly, find something – anything – that you truly love.

We also learned the importance of choosing good friends. And the fourth lesson emphasized fighting for what you believe in, with strength and respect. When you encounter difficulties, whether related to health or anything else, never give up.

Don’t ever give up – keep fighting as long as you can. This illness is weakening my body, but it won’t break my spirit.

He finished by telling Billie and Georgia, ‘You mean the world to me. Good night, I love you.’ These were his final words.

Dane and Gayheart married in 2004 and had two daughters together. Gayheart filed for divorce in 2018, but she later withdrew the paperwork when Dane faced health issues in 2025.

Despite being in other relationships, they stayed legally married until he passed away.

Following Dane’s death, Gayheart posted a collection of older photos of him to her Instagram Stories.

Seriously, the outpouring of love for him is incredible! So many people are sending tributes, and it’s amazing to see even his old Grey’s Anatomy family speaking up – Kate Walsh and Patrick Dempsey both shared their thoughts, which just means the world to me!

Dane became famous for playing many different characters in Hollywood, most notably as Dr. Mark Sloan – nicknamed ‘McSteamy’ – on the popular medical show that started in 2006.

It’s just… too much. He died on the exact 20th anniversary of when he first appeared on TV! His very first episode on ABC aired on February 19th, 2006, and… and it’s like the universe just couldn’t let that date pass without taking him. It’s heartbreakingly perfect and awful all at once.

Kimberly Van Der Beek recently honored her late husband, following his passing on February 11th.

She shared on Instagram that she was heartbroken over the loss of Eric Dane, expressing her love for his wife, Rebecca Gayheart Dane. She fondly remembered how much fun they all had together at Christmas parties and said she would miss those moments.

Dane had publicly announced his diagnosis with ALS last year in April.  

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2026-02-22 06:52