When actor Eric Dane announced his ALS diagnosis in April 2025, he knew his time was limited. He had a specific goal before his time was up.
Eric Dane passed away Thursday, February 19, at the age of 53. He publicized his battle with the fatal disease, while still taking acting roles.
Eric Dane hoped to “go out helping somebody”
Despite his devastating diagnosis, Eric wanted to use his fame to put a spotlight on ALS. In a June 16 Good Morning America interview with Diane Sawyer he said, “I have been an open book about certain things in my life. This is something I felt compelled to share with people. I don’t really have a dog in the fight, per se, when it comes to worrying about what people are going think about me. This is more of a: ‘How can I help? How can I be of some service?’ Not to be overly morbid, but you know, if I’m going out, I’m gonna go out helping somebody.”
He did just that, partnering with I Am ALS. Last year, Andrea Goodman, the organization’s chief executive, said she’s thankful for his support. She is optimistic for the Accelerating Access for Critical Therapies for ALS Act, which will increase federal funds for ALS research. “We’re on this cusp of ALS progress right now. So it’s a really important moment for us to be able to leverage Eric’s celebrity to raise awareness of the disease, which leads us to more attention, funding and support, and make sure we reauthorize this bill,” she explained last year.
Eric didn’t want to publicize his health struggle, but it was something he said he had to do. “It was getting increasingly difficult to hide what was going on. And instead of letting people speculate what was happening, I just said it,” he told the Washington Post. “And I’ve never experienced a bigger outpouring of love and support than I have after I announced that.”
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