Eric Dane, ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ star, says he’s been diagnosed with ALS - National | Globalnews.ca (2025)

Grey’s Anatomy star Eric Dane revealed that he has been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Dane, 52, shared the major health update in an interview with People magazine and said that he will continue to work as he navigates ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, which is a terminal neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.

“I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter,” Dane, who played the beloved McSteamy on Grey’s, told the outlet.

“I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to [the] set of Euphoria next week,” he said. “I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.”

Dane is married to actor Rebecca Gayheart. The couple share two children, Billie Beatrice, 15, and Georgia Geraldine, 13.

On Euphoria, set to resume shooting later this month, Dane stars as Cal Jacobs, the father to Jacob Elordi’s character, Nate Jacobs.

ALS progressively destroys the nerve cells and connections needed to walk, talk and breathe. The disease often begins with muscle twitching and weakness in an arm or leg, trouble swallowing or slurred speech, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Symptoms of ALS vary from person to person and depend on which nerve cells are affected, the Mayo Clinic states. ALS generally begins with muscle weakness that gets worse over time.

Symptoms might include trouble walking or carrying out usual daily activities, tripping and falling, weakness in the legs, feet or ankles, hand weakness and thinking or behavioural changes.

There is currently no cure for the fatal disease, and people usually live three to five years after their diagnosis, according to the Muscular Dystrophy Association. However, some patients can live for decades with the disease.

Other notable figures who have been diagnosed with ALS include Stephen Hawking, actor Aaron Lazar, Killing Me Softly singer Roberta Flack, Zac Brown Band’s John Driskell Hopkins, former NFL player Eric Stevens and Canadian actor Kenneth Mitchell.

Approximately 1,000 Canadians are diagnosed with ALS every year, according to ALS Canada. Four thousand are currently living with the disease.

—With files from Global News and The Associated Press