Former Grey's Anatomy star Eric Dane now requires full-time, round-the-clock nursing care as he lives with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a battle his ex-wife Rebecca Gayheart has made her personal mission to support.
A Former Partner's Unwavering Support
In a heartfelt first-person account for The Cut, actress Rebecca Gayheart confirmed she fought to ensure her former husband receives the comprehensive care he needs. Dane, publicly diagnosed in April, now has nurses covering 21 shifts per week. Gayheart revealed that when shifts cannot be filled by medical staff, she or the actor's friends step in to provide support.
"The week is divided into 21 shifts," Gayheart explained, detailing the complex logistics of organising constant care. She described a recent 12-hour gap she could only partially cover due to commitments with their two daughters, requiring two of Dane's friends to assist. "This is all new territory for everyone involved," she noted, praising the friends who showed up to help.
Navigating Public Scrutiny and Daily Challenges
One of the most difficult aspects, according to Gayheart, is managing the public attention that comes with Dane's high-profile diagnosis. She recalled a stressful incident while helping Dane into his wheelchair during a family dinner outing. "We went to have sushi one night, and it was the first time I had to unload the wheelchair and open it and get Eric into it on my own," she shared. "And oh my God, I was sweating bullets and there were people watching and taking pictures, and I was so upset because I was really struggling."
Despite the couple's separation in September 2017, Gayheart's commitment to Dane's wellbeing has remained steadfast. She successfully secured the full-time care package after two appeals, and emphasised she will always "do right by him."
A Determined Fight for the Future
Eric Dane, best known for playing Dr Mark Sloan on the long-running medical drama, first shared his diagnosis in an April interview with Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America. He disclosed the disease's progression, stating, "My left side is functioning, my right side has completely stopped working." He soberly added that he feared losing function in his left hand within months.
ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, ultimately impacting movement, speech, eating, and breathing. While treatments can slow progression, there is currently no cure.
Despite the immense challenges, Dane is determined to advocate for research and live for his family. In September, he met with California Congressman Eric Swalwell to support the non-profit I AM ALS, pushing for a bid to secure $1 billion in funding for ALS research over the next three years.
In a recent TikTok, the father of two daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 13, declared his resolve: "I want to ring every bell. I have two daughters at home. I want to see them graduate college, get married, maybe have grandkids... I'm going to fight until the last breath on this one."
