Eric Dane’s daughters are ‘really suffering’ amid his ‘heartbreaking’ ALS battle

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Rebecca Gayheart has shared how her family is coping with the difficult news of her husband, Eric Dane’s, ALS diagnosis.

I was definitely concerned, like many fans, to see the incredibly talented actor from Grey’s Anatomy missing from the Emmys. It’s only been five months since he bravely shared his diagnosis of ALS, and it’s a reminder of the challenges he’s facing, but also his strength.

It’s heartbreaking, but I’ve learned that her daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 13, are both seeing therapists. It’s all because their dad is bravely fighting a really tough, worsening illness that affects the nerves. I’m just sending all my support to the whole family right now.

It’s just devastating,” she shared with People magazine on Saturday. “My daughters are really hurting, and we’re doing our best to cope. It’s a very difficult period for us.”

Though their family is ‘really struggling,’ she said they are ‘taking it day by day.’ 

We’re working with skilled therapists and focusing on maintaining hope, dignity, and kindness throughout the process.

She was honest about how she was feeling, saying she hadn’t found anything positive to focus on and wasn’t quite ready to do so yet.

The actress, 54, married Dane in 2004. 

I was so surprised when I heard they were getting divorced back in 2018, after being married for 14 years! But then, amazingly, after seven years, they decided to call it off and stay together. It’s such an unexpected turn of events, but I’m really happy for them.

Dane revealed he had been diagnosed with an illness just a month after Gayheart asked the court to drop their divorce case.

We’re all connected by this difficult situation, and Eric will always be family to me, regardless of our marital status or where we live. We’ve grown closer, but it’s because of something painful.

She expressed her sadness about the disease, saying it’s terrible and she desperately hopes a cure is found quickly. It’s heartbreaking, she added.

Earlier this year, Dane shared that he has been diagnosed with ALS, a disease also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease that impacts the brain and spinal cord’s nerve cells. Over time, this leads to a loss of muscle control and eventually paralysis, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Shortly after sharing his diagnosis, the actor from Euphoria spoke with Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America about how he was coping with his illness.

Every morning, the reality of it all hits me right away. It’s not something I can wake up from, and honestly, it’s just…real. He confessed that’s how he feels, and it’s heartbreaking to hear.

Dane was expected to appear at the Emmys earlier this month to present an award with his former Grey’s Anatomy co-star, Jesse Williams, but he didn’t attend.

Williams ended up presenting alone onstage and made no mention of Dane’s absence. 

The next day, Dane announced online that he was working with the nonprofit I AM ALS.

In the video, Dane encouraged people to donate for the cause to find a cure. 

‘I’m Eric, an actor, a father and now a person living with ALS,’ he said in the video.  

ALS has remained untreatable for over a hundred years, and we’ve decided it’s time for a change. We’re committed to finding a cure as quickly as possible, which is why I’m working with I AM ALS on the Push for Progress. Our ambitious goal is to raise one billion dollars over the next three years to accelerate research and find effective treatments.

As a long-time supporter, it was incredibly moving to hear him promise that we’ll work together to strengthen the vital Act for ALS. He spoke with such hope about getting promising treatments to people like himself – and so many others – and ultimately, making real progress towards a cure. It felt like a turning point, a genuine commitment to finally tackling this devastating disease.

Act for ALS is a law that was signed in 2021 and is set to expire in 2026. 

The bill would have directed the Department of Health and Human Services to assist patients in getting financial help for treatments they couldn’t otherwise afford.

It also authorized the Food and Drug Administration to dedicate funds to finding a cure. 

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2025-09-28 21:04