Eric Dane, the beloved actor from shows like Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria, is channeling his energy into fighting ALS after his recent diagnosis. Just hours after skipping a big moment at the 2025 Emmy Awards, the 52-year-old star shared a heartfelt video on Instagram to rally support for a cure.
In the clip, posted by the organization I AM ALS, Dane wears a simple navy t-shirt emblazoned with “I AM ALS.” He speaks openly about his journey, introducing himself as “an actor, a father, and now a person living with ALS.” You can see the effects of the neurodegenerative disease—his words come out slowly at times, with occasional slurring, and his arms show involuntary twitches. It’s a tough reality, as ALS impacts muscles throughout the body, including those used for speaking and swallowing, as the organization explained in the comments.
But Dane isn’t backing down. He’s teaming up with I AM ALS for their “Push for Progress” campaign, aiming to raise a whopping $1 billion over the next three years to speed up ALS research and treatments. “For over a century, ALS has been incurable, and we’re done accepting the status quo,” he says in the video. He urges fans to renew the ACT for ALS law, get promising therapies to patients like him, and ultimately end the disease. “There’s so much to learn, more to do, and we have to do it now,” Dane adds, encouraging everyone to donate and get involved via the link in his post.
This comes right after Dane missed a planned reunion at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards on September 14 in Los Angeles. He was set to join his Grey’s Anatomy co-star Jesse Williams onstage at the Peacock Theater to present the award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, celebrating 20 years of the hit Shonda Rhimes medical drama. Instead, Williams handled it solo, and fans noticed Dane’s absence.
Emmys producer Jesse Collins later shared in a Variety interview that he didn’t have all the details but was glad Williams could step up. “I just was told that he wasn’t able to make it,” Collins said. Williams, speaking on the red carpet to Entertainment Tonight, praised Dane as a “solid” friend and brother from their Grey’s Anatomy days. “On and off screen, that’s my brother,” Williams said, highlighting the show’s global impact and Dane’s balanced approach to life.
Dane first went public with his ALS diagnosis back in April 2025. In a June appearance on Good Morning America—his first interview since the news—he opened up about the progression, noting he had “one functioning arm” left and that his left hand might soon follow. “It’s sobering,” he admitted.
Through it all, Dane is staying positive and leaning on his support system. He and ex-wife Rebecca Gayheart called off their divorce after seven years, though they’re not romantically reunited. The pair, who share daughters Billie (15) and Georgia (13), have grown closer as co-parents. “We have managed to become better friends and better parents,” Dane shared in June. “She is probably my biggest champion and my most stalwart supporter. And I lean on her.”
Dane’s story highlights the harsh reality of ALS, a condition with no cure that affects about 30,000 people in the U.S. alone. His push for progress in ALS research and awareness is inspiring fans worldwide to join the fight. If you’re moved by his message, check out the I AM ALS campaign to learn more and contribute.
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