'Euphoria's Eric Dane called life with ALS 'littered with hurdles'
What's the story
Eric Dane, the celebrated actor best known for his roles on Grey's Anatomy and Euphoria, passed away on Thursday (February 19, 2026) at the age of 53. His representatives confirmed that he succumbed to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, less than a year after publicly revealing his diagnosis. In his last public appearance in December 2025, he had called living with ALS "so horrible."
Last days
His last public appearance in December 2025
In December 2025, Dane appeared in his last public appearance at a virtual panel for I AM ALS and Synapticure. He also opened up about taking on his first on-screen role since his diagnosis, portraying Matthew, a firefighter and 9/11 hero living with ALS, on Brilliant Minds. Despite the difficulty of separating from this character, he was "grateful" for the "cathartic" experience.
Advocacy
Hopes for research into ALS shared in same appearance
Dane also spoke about his hopes for research into the medical condition. He said, "I make sure that people are aware of what ALS is and what it's about, and more importantly, what we can do to combat it and improve the landscape." "Because it's so rocky and littered with hurdles and bureaucracy and all this other nonsense that we're trying to sift through so we can get to a place where we go start working on solution."
Family statement
Family confirmed his death on Thursday
Dane's family confirmed his death in a statement to PEOPLE on Thursday. "With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS," the statement read. "He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world."
Career highlights
His career-defining roles on 'Grey's Anatomy,' 'Euphoria'
Dane shot to fame in the mid-2000s when he was cast as Dr. Mark Sloan, aka McSteamy, on ABC's medical drama Grey's Anatomy. He played this role from 2006 until 2012 and reprised it in 2021. In 2019, he took a complete turn from his charming character to play the troubled Cal Jacobs in HBO's provocative drama Euphoria, a role he continued until his death.