Eric Dane detailed the first sign he realised something was wrong, almost a year before he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) which he died of earlier this year.
Dane publicly disclosed he had been diagnosed with the condition in April 2025, and said he had been experiencing symptoms for around 18 months prior.
In February this year, he tragically passed away aged 53, which happened just two months before his final acting performance in season three of Euphoria aired.
In a statement at the time, his family said: “He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the centre of his world.
“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.”
In an upcoming memoir Dane wrote before his death, the Grey’s Anatomy star shared the first physical sign he had that something wasn’t right with his body.
‘My hand tingles, and then my fingers feel numb’
In an excerpt from the book, which is titled My Book Of Days: A Memoir of Moments, Dane explained that he was with his daughters one evening eating sushi when suddenly he found himself unable to properly use the chopsticks he was holding due to his fingers feeling ‘numb’.
“I’m eating sushi with my kids and suddenly I can’t work the chopsticks with my right hand. My hand tingles, and then my fingers feel numb,” he wrote.
The actor said that he initially dismissed it as a ‘weird nerve thing’ and put it down to ‘texting too much’.
But despite trying to ‘shake it off’ and carry on as normal, he said the symptom soon returned.
He wrote: “Three weeks later, it happens again, only worse. I can’t grip the chopsticks at all.”
Dane said that sparked a nine-month long search for answers before he was ultimately diagnosed with ALS.
‘I’m not going anywhere’
The actor was married to fellow star Rebecca Gayheart in 2004 and they went on to have two daughters Georgia and Billie, who are now 14 and 16, respectively. In 2018, Gayheart filed for divorce, but in March 2025, she filed to dismiss the divorce.
In his memoir, Dane said that when he told the mother of his kids about his diagnosis she told him: “I’m not going anywhere.”
In an interview with PEOPLE, Gayheart said Dane had been apprehensive about writing his autobiography, which also touches on his battles with addiction and his marriage.
‘It showed us his extraordinary strength every day’
But she said she’s ‘grateful’ that he did as it’ll be something their daughters can read in the future to help them ‘get to know their dad as a human being’.
She went on to say that prior to his death, Dane vowed to spend as much time with his family as he could.
“We tried to be present through all of our fear and frustration and uncertainty,” says Gayheart.
“It was truly an exhausting and heartbreaking experience, but it also showed us his extraordinary strength every day, and that was really wonderful for the girls and myself to witness.”
What is ALS, and the signs to look out for
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is the most common form of motor neurone disease (MND). It is a rare and life-shortening condition that damages the nerves in the brain and spinal cord.
While ALS can affect people of any age, it usually strikes in late middle age.
The ALS Association explains how symptoms can begin in:
The hands or arms
The legs or feet
The muscles that control speech or swallowing
Common early symptoms include:
Tripping or difficulty walking
Dropping objects
Fatigue in the arms or legs
Slurred or slowed speech
Muscle cramps or twitching
Episodes of uncontrollable laughing or crying
Getting a diagnosis can be difficult and often takes time, so it’s important to contact a healthcare professional as soon as possible if there is concern.