‘Grey’s Anatomy’ star Eric Dane diagnosed with ALS. ‘Grateful to have my family’
Eric Dane is an actor often seen on the screen. From his iconic role as Dr. Mark Sloan on “Grey’s Anatomy” to his work on HBO’s “Euphoria,” his career has been a successful one.
Now, the husband and father of two is sharing news about his health.
In an exclusive statement shared with People, Dane, 52, announced that he has been diagnosed with ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease.
According to the Mayo Clinic, ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) “is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. ALS causes loss of muscle control.”
ALS is a progressive disease that worsens over time.
“I have been diagnosed with ALS,” Dane told People. “I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter.”
“I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of Euphoria next week,” he continued in his statement. “I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.”
Dane is married to fellow actress Rebecca Gayheart. The couple wed in 2004 after meeting 10 months prior, according to E! News.
They share teen daughters, 15-year-old Billie and 13-year-old Georgia.
In March, Gayheart, 53, filed to dismiss her 2018 divorce filing from Dane. The day before Dane shared his diagnosis publicly, Gayheart told E! News on April 9 that they figured out how to stay together as a family.
“We are best of friends. We are really close. We are great coparents,” Gayheart explained. “We really figured out the formula to staying a family and I think our kids are benefiting greatly from it and we are as well.”
“I think it’s important to not look at a relationship that ends as a failure,” she continued. “It’s just a season. It wasn’t a failure. It was a huge success. We were married for, I mean, we are still married, but together for 15 years and we had two beautiful kids so I think that’s a successful relationship, and that’s how we look at it.”
Dane didn’t go into further details about his diagnosis.