When Rebecca Gayheart first noticed her husband Eric Dane struggling to use chopsticks at the dinner table, she chalked it up to something minor—perhaps a bit of clumsiness or fatigue. But as these moments of muscle weakness became more frequent, concern crept in. "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 in her essay for The Cut titled “In Sickness and in Health.”
Initially, doctors offered a range of less alarming explanations. According to The Daily Beast, early visits brought confusion rather than clarity, with misdiagnoses that failed to explain Dane’s persistent symptoms. But the former Grey’s Anatomy star couldn’t shake the dread that something more serious was at play. "He had this sinking feeling that it was something more serious. And I was like, 'No, it’s not. I promise you it’s not. I can feel this! It’s gonna be OK,'" Gayheart recalled in her interview with The Cut.
Eventually, the truth emerged: Eric Dane was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. The condition, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is incurable and gradually robs patients of muscle control—impacting movement, speech, and eventually basic bodily functions. According to the Cleveland Clinic, symptoms often begin with muscle weakness and twitching, and as the disease advances, breathing can become difficult, leading to life-threatening complications.
The confirmation came during a call from a neurologist’s office in San Francisco. Gayheart, at home with their youngest daughter, retreated into her closet to take the call privately. "When he told me that day, he just started weeping, as did I," she wrote. "It didn’t feel real because he was still okay." The emotional weight of the diagnosis was immediate and overwhelming. Gayheart tried to shield her daughter from the distress, telling her, "Honey, nothing. Everything’s fine," even as she struggled to process the news herself.
About a week later, the couple sat down with their teenage daughters, Billie and Georgia, to share the truth. According to The Los Angeles Times, Gayheart emphasized their choice for honesty, balancing the need to be open with the emotional challenges the conversation posed. The family’s approach reflected a desire to face the diagnosis together, even as the future remained uncertain.
Gayheart and Dane’s relationship has weathered its own share of storms. Married in 2003, the couple separated in September 2017 after fifteen years together. Gayheart initially filed for divorce in 2018, but the process was called off in March 2025. As of December 2025, they live just 12 minutes apart, sharing frequent meals and drop-by visits. Their bond, Gayheart says, has evolved into something deeply familial. "It’s a very complicated relationship, one that’s confusing for people," she explained in The Cut. "Our love may not be romantic, but it’s a familial love."
That sense of family is now the anchor as they navigate the unpredictable landscape of ALS. Gayheart is candid about the logistical and emotional challenges of securing around-the-clock care for Dane. "Eric has 24/7 nurses now," she shared, noting that she steps in to cover shifts when gaps arise. "There are times that shifts aren’t covered, so I cover them. There was a 12-hour shift recently that I could not cover. I could only do four hours because of all the stuff that the kids are doing." When she can’t be there, she calls on friends for help, grateful for those who show up and understanding toward those who don’t. "It’s not easy for people. So I don’t hold any grudges toward [anyone] who hasn’t shown up," Gayheart said.
For Dane, the diagnosis hasn’t spelled the end of his career or his spirit. He continues to act, recently appearing in an episode of Brilliant Minds as a firefighter living with ALS. In an interview on Good Morning America, Dane told Diane Sawyer, "I don’t think this is the end of my story. I don’t feel like this is the end of me," underscoring his determination to keep moving forward despite the disease’s relentless progression.
Gayheart’s role has shifted from spouse to advocate and caregiver, navigating the complexities of the healthcare system and insurance appeals, all while striving to make life as normal and connected as possible for their daughters. She’s open about the bureaucratic hurdles: "Just figuring out the health-care system is its own thing—the health-insurance company will deny you what you’re asking for and you have to appeal and then you have to apply again."
Through it all, Gayheart remains focused on setting an example for her children. In a November 2025 appearance on the "Broad Ideas with Rachel Bilson & Olivia Allen” podcast, she reflected, "I am definitely trying to show [my daughters] that we show up for people no matter what. And he is our family, he is your father. We show up and we try to do it with some dignity and some grace and just get through it, and that we will get through it the best we can."
The journey is marked by uncertainty—ALS, as Gayheart notes, has no roadmap. Yet, the family’s commitment to each other remains unwavering. Their focus is on honoring Dane’s wishes, prioritizing time together, and maintaining a sense of normalcy for Billie and Georgia, now 15 and 14. As Gayheart puts it, "I’m going to do my best to do right by him," whether that means covering a nursing shift, managing logistics, or simply being present.
Eric Dane’s story is, in many ways, a testament to resilience in the face of adversity. It’s also a reminder that love—familial, imperfect, and enduring—can take on new shapes when life throws its hardest challenges. As the family continues to navigate ALS together, their journey is one of honesty, grace, and steadfast support, even when the path ahead is anything but clear.
