Eric Dane's beautiful words about wife Rebecca in interview released after his death
The celebrity world is in mourning this week after Grey’s Anatomy star Eric Dane’s passing.
The heartbreaking news came nearly ten months after the actor, 53, announced that he was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a form of Motor Neurone Disease.
ALS is a disease which affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, which means messages gradually stop reaching muscles, which leads to weakness and wasting.
Pic: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
The Euphoria actor lost the use of his right arm by June 2025 and became wheelchair-bound by October.
A statement released by his family confirmed that the actor passed away, aged 53, surrounded by his loved ones.
‘He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife [Rebecca Gayheart], and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the centre of his world,’ the statement read.
Pic: Richard Cartwright/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
‘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.
‘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.’
On Friday afternoon, just hours after the heartbreaking news of Dane’s passing, Netflix dropped a new episode of the show Famous Last Words, where Dane sat down for an interview with the understanding that it would only be shared with the world after he passed.
Pic: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for AFI
In the interview, he bravely reflected on his ALS battle, his previous struggles with addiction, as well as his marriage to fellow actress Rebecca Gayheart.
The pair wed in 2004 and share two daughters, Billie and Georgia.
After going through difficulties in their marriage, the couple announced that they were getting a divorce in 2018.
Pic: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
However, after being separated for seven years, Rebecca withdrew the divorce filing due to Dane’s ALS diagnosis.
In the Famous Last Words interview, Dane heartbreakingly admitted that he would never love another woman as ‘deeply’ as he loved Rebecca.
He said: ‘We still love each other deeply, I just think we don’t want to live with each other. But there’s a lot of love there.
‘I will have never, by the time anybody sees this, have fallen in love with another woman as deeply as I fell in love with Rebecca. She’s the mother of my children.’
He added: ‘And the whole way that thing came about, it was so organic and fortuitous. I met Rebecca, and I turned to her friend, and I said “I’m gonna marry that girl”.
It comes as tributes are pouring in for Dane, with his Grey’s Anatomy co-star, Patrick Dempsey, remembering him as ‘the funniest man’.
Speaking on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show, Dempsey said: ‘He was such a joy to work with, and I want to just remember him in that spirit because any time he was on set, he brought so much fun to it.
‘He had a great sense of humour. He was easy to work with, we got along instantly. First scene was him, you know, in all his glory, coming out of the bathroom with the towel on looking amazing, making you feel completely out of shape and insignificant.’
He added: ‘We hit it off because it was never really any competition. There was just this wonderful mutual respect.’
