Grey’s Anatomy paid tribute to Eric Dane at the close of Thursday’s episode after his passing at age 53.
Dane died on February 19 after a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
The February 26th episode concluded with a collection of Dane’s best moments as his character, Mark Sloan—fans often called him ‘McSteamy’.
The song “Chasing Cars” by Snow Patrol was featured in the video, which ended with a tribute reading, “In loving memory of Eric Dane, 1972-2026.”
Dane first appeared on Grey’s Anatomy in 2006, and he passed away exactly twenty years after his first episode aired.
The character of McSteamy was originally only meant to be in a single episode, but the show’s writers liked him so much they changed the plans and made him a recurring character.
Dane Cook revealed in a 2024 podcast interview that his substance use during his time on Grey’s Anatomy led to personal struggles, ultimately resulting in his character being written off the show in 2012 by producer Shonda Rhimes.
‘I wasn’t the same guy they had hired, so I understood when I was let go,’ he said.
He noted, ‘And [executive producer] Shonda [Rhimes] was really great. She protected us fiercely.
She supported us both in public and in private. However, I likely lost my job. It wasn’t a formal firing—no one actually said ‘You’re fired,’ they simply didn’t ask me to return.
Following Eric Dane’s passing, Shonda Rhimes shared that he was a much-loved part of the Shondaland and Grey’s Anatomy teams.
He was a remarkably talented actor, and his performance as Dr. Mark Sloan was unforgettable, resonating with viewers worldwide.
We are deeply thankful for the talent, kindness, and warmth he brought to our lives over the years. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and everyone who enjoyed his work.
Later in his career, Dane played Cal Jacobs, the complicated father of Nate, played by Jacob Elordi, in the show Euphoria.
Last November, he appeared in an episode of the NBC medical drama Brilliant Minds, playing a firefighter battling ALS.
The actor married actress Rebecca Gayheart, 54, in October 2004.
I was absolutely devastated when they announced their separation back in September 2017, but then, unbelievably, they called off the divorce in March 2025! It felt like a miracle. But then, just a month later, Dane revealed he had ALS… it was just so much to process, and honestly, it felt like the happiness was so fleeting.
They shared daughters Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14.
In a December 2025 essay for The Cut, Gayheart explained that her feelings for Dane had changed from romantic love to a close, family-like bond.
Even though they were no longer together, Dane spoke fondly about his wife in his heartfelt Netflix special, ‘Famous Last Words: Eric Dane’.
In his final interview, spread across two episodes, he stated that he would never love another woman as much as he loved Rebecca Gayheart.
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2026-02-27 10:03