Less than a year after he passed away from ALS, Grey’s Anatomy star Eric Dane is sharing a nightmare near-death experience. His teenage daughter was forced to save him, something that no one should ever have to go through. So what happened exactly, and how did his daughter step up? Keep reading for more details.
Eric Dane Died At 53
It was a shock when Eric Dane revealed that he had ALS. The Grey’s Anatomy star learned that he had been diagnosed not too long before he came out with his diagnosis. Moreover, it seemed to come on fast and furiously. He and his wife, Rebecca Gayheart, had split up years before, with a divorce filed. However, she revoked that upon his revealing he had ALS, although they were living their own lives. Rebecca and Eric shared two daughters, Billie, who was born in 2010, and Georgia, who followed in 2011.
Sadly, Eric passed away in February 2026, but a posthumous memoir is now being released. It is called My Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments and is set to be released on November 3rd. In it, he talks about nearly drowning right after he learned that he had ALS in 2025. The actor was on vacation in Antigua with his daughters when, suddenly, Eric could not swim. That was when Georgia and a friend jumped into action:
“Georgia hands me my phone. ‘I can’t swim, Rebecca,’ I say. ‘I can’t swim.’ She explodes into tears and I weep with her. We cry together. Finally, the tears slow, become reduced to gasps, and when we’re both cried out, Rebecca says, ‘I was afraid of this day. I knew it would come. I’ve been dreading it.’”
He started to notice symptoms toward the end of 2023 or early 2024. Yet, Eric Dane was not officially diagnosed with ALS until early 2025. So, the fact that they expected the worst so soon into it all is devastating.
No Stopping Georgia
After this incident happened, Eric Dane spoke to Diane Sawyer about it. He realized how unsafe he now was in the water, but Georgia was right there for him. However, Eric did not want to ruin his daughter’s trip, so he told her to go back to having fun. He was crying, of course, but it seemed he was not thinking about himself any longer. His passing has not been easy on his family, but they are dedicated to keeping his legacy alive. Rebecca Gayheart knows that his mission was to get the proper research for ALS, so she will keep petitioning.
Are you interested in reading Eric Dane’s book and what he had to say? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Amanda has been a professional freelance writer for over a decade, holding both a BA and an MA. Her passions include animals, iced coffee, gnomes, summer, music, and ‘Vanderpump Rules’.