Eric Dane’s Wife Speaks Out About His ALS Diagnosis

Hollywood actress Rebecca Gayheart, 54, shared an emotional update on how her family is handling her husband Eric Dane’s battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Dane, 52, announced he was diagnosed with the disease in April. Gayheart talked to People at the 2025 Inspiration Awards ceremony on Sept. 26, hosted by the mentorship organization Step Up.

“I mean, it’s heartbreaking,” she said. “My girls are really suffering, and we’re just trying to get through it. It’s a tough time.”

The Scream 2 star said her family is managing by “taking it day by day” and getting therapy.

“We have some professional therapists who are helping us, and we’re just trying to have some hope and do it with dignity, grace and love,” she said.

ALS is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, according to the Mayo Clinic.  ALS is also referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, after the famous New York Yankees baseball player was diagnosed with it in the 1930s. There is no cure for ALS.

Gayheart is still processing her emotions regarding Dane’s diagnosis and said she is struggling to stay optimistic. “I don’t think I’m at a place yet where I can pull out a positive nugget,” she said. “I’m not there yet.”

But Gayheart says she believes Dane’s ALS battle has “brought us all together,” adding that whether they are “married or living in the same house or not,” Dane will “always be my family.” Gayheart filed for divorce from Dane in 2018. But earlier this year, Gayheart filed to dismiss the divorce. 

Still, she finds it frustrating that medical science isn’t further along in finding a cure. “It’s a horrible disease, and I wish that there was a cure. I hope they find one soon, because it is just so sad.”

Dane, known for his roles in Grey’s Anatomy, X-Men: The Last Stand, and HBO’s Euphoria, recently appeared in a video campaign to promote finding a cure and treatments for ALS through the nonprofit organization I AM ALS.

In June, Dane told Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America that the right side of his body has “completely stopped working” and his left arm is “going.” “I feel like maybe a couple, few more months, and I won’t have my left hand either,” Dane said, adding that he was “worried” his legs might stop functioning soon.

Dane said he first realized something was wrong when he started experiencing “weakness” in his right hand. He didn’t think anything of it and attributed it to “texting too much” or “fatigue.”

“But a few weeks later, I noticed it had gotten a little worse, so I went and saw a hand specialist, who sent me to another hand specialist,” the actor recalled.

Symptoms of ALS include twitching or cramps in the muscles of the arms or legs, slurred speech, difficulty chewing or swallowing, and trouble walking or performing daily activities.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, around 5,000 people are diagnosed with ALS annually in the United States. While the precise cause of the disease remains unknown, certain individuals might face a higher risk.

AARP has information available on how to care for someone suffering from ALS.