When actor Eric Dane, best known for his role as Dr. Mark Sloan on Grey’s Anatomy, revealed his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) earlier this year, fans and colleagues alike were stunned. But for Dane’s family—estranged wife Rebecca Gayheart and their two teenage daughters—the news marked the beginning of a profound and ongoing journey, one that has reshaped their lives and relationships in ways both heartbreaking and unexpectedly hopeful.
In a candid first-person essay for The Cut published on December 29, 2025, Gayheart opened up about the emotional turmoil that followed Dane’s diagnosis. She recalled the moment she received the call from Dane, who was at a neurologist’s office in San Francisco. "He’d flown down to see a neurologist there. His symptoms started maybe a year prior. When we would have a meal with the kids, he’d say things like, ‘Something’s wrong with my hand.’ He was struggling to use his chopsticks, dropping his food. That was when he started seeing doctors," Gayheart wrote. Initially, Dane was misdiagnosed with less serious conditions, but both he and Gayheart sensed something more ominous was at play.
When the official diagnosis came—those three letters, ALS—Gayheart described a moment of shared grief. "He just started weeping, as did I. It didn’t feel real because he was still okay," she wrote. The couple, separated since September 2017 but still legally married, had to grapple not only with their own emotions but also with how to break the news to their daughters, Billie, now 15, and Georgia, 14.
Seeking advice from therapists, Gayheart and Dane decided on honesty and transparency. "We wanted to have complete transparency and honesty with them. They’re older now... and I’m a horrible liar. You can see right through me," Gayheart shared. With professional guidance, they gave the girls the chance to speak directly with Dane’s doctor, ensuring they could ask questions and process the information at their own pace.
ALS, a neurodegenerative disorder for which there is no cure, is notorious for its unpredictable progression. Gayheart wrote, "The problem with this diagnosis is that there really isn’t a road map... No matter how prepared you are, or how much I prepare the girls, or how much Eric prepares himself, he’ll wake up one morning and there’s something else that is an obstacle, or he’s lost the ability to do one more thing—it just comes out of nowhere. It’s a terrible, terrible disease."
The family’s reality shifted quickly. In March, during a spring break trip, Dane experienced several falls and a harrowing incident in which he was unable to swim back to a boat. Their daughter Georgia had to help him. "He was just so emotional—Eric played water polo, water’s his thing—and I knew that it landed, it hit home. It was a big realization for him: This is actually happening," Gayheart recalled.
By April 2025, Dane chose to publicly announce his diagnosis, aiming to preempt rumors and speculation about his declining physical abilities. The response, according to Gayheart, was overwhelming: "When Eric went public, so many people reached out to him, and to me, to express their support. His friends, family, co-workers really showed up. It was so loving and kind and generous... But I’m not gonna lie, it was a little overwhelming." The family also considered experimental treatments, including stem cells and exosomes, though the future remained uncertain.
The practical challenges of living with ALS soon became apparent. As reported by The Independent on December 29, 2025, Dane now receives 24/7 nursing care, a necessity that required Gayheart to fight a grueling battle with the insurance company. She detailed the process: "With the nurses, the woman from his insurance said to me, ‘You can keep applying, and I’ll keep denying.’ I was like, Oh? F that. I made it my mission. I was ‘locked in,’ as the kids would say. I crashed out, and then I locked it in. And we got it approved after two appeals." The week is divided into 21 nursing shifts; when coverage lapses, Gayheart steps in herself.
Despite being separated for eight years, Gayheart and Dane have maintained a complex but supportive partnership. She reflected on their marriage: "We had a really lovely marriage for a long time—we were married for 15 years—we created two beautiful girls. But also, lots of s*** went crazy in our relationship, and it wasn’t good. We separated, but we never got a divorce; we were about to and then we didn’t. We haven’t lived in the same home for eight years; he’s dated other people, I’ve dated someone. It’s a very complicated relationship, one that’s confusing for people. Our love may not be romantic, but it’s a familial love."
This familial bond has become the foundation for their new normal. The family spends more time together than ever, sharing meals, visits, and supporting each other through the daily challenges of Dane’s illness. "It’s all been really positive, and I think it’s nice for the kids to see maybe a softer side of us. It’s not that they have the hopes of us being together—kids always dream of their parents getting back together, and I think now ours don’t because they understand the reality of the situation. And hopefully, what they see instead are two adults who are trying to be mature and focus on what’s important," Gayheart wrote.
The experience has also forced Gayheart to confront her own limits and vulnerabilities. She admitted, "I do not know how to ask for help. Even just calling up someone to say, ‘Oh my God, I’m having the worst day today’—that has been a big learning curve for me." Yet, she found unexpected support among other women facing similar caregiving journeys and from friends who stepped up when needed most.
For Dane, the diagnosis hasn’t ended his career. According to The Independent, he continues to act despite his physical limitations, recently appearing as a firefighter with ALS on Brilliant Minds. During a virtual panel with the I AM ALS organization, Dane said, "I’m fairly limited in what I can do physically as an actor, but I still have my brain, and I still have my speech, so I’m willing to just do about anything. I’ll take on any role. From here on out, it’s going to have to be ALS-centric. It’s going to be very difficult for me to play any other role. I’m fine with that. I’m grateful that I can still work in any capacity."
Gayheart, too, has begun returning to work, balancing her acting projects with the demands of caregiving and parenting. She emphasized the importance of modeling resilience and self-care for her daughters, saying, "I want us, them and myself, to try to focus more on the present and make today meaningful. I say this a lot: This is not the dress rehearsal. Whatever you’re doing today, that is your life."
As the family faces an uncertain future, they do so with a mixture of grief, gratitude, and determination. The journey is far from easy, but in navigating it together, they’re discovering new depths of strength—and, perhaps, a renewed sense of what it means to live each day to the fullest.
