For Eric Dane, the fight against ALS isn’t just personal—it’s all-consuming. The actor is facing the disease with raw honesty, an open heart, and a willingness to try anything in the name of hope, including experimental treatments and global research trials.
In an emotional sit-down with Diane Sawyer for Good Morning America that aired June 17, the “Grey’s Anatomy” alum, 52, opened up about his journey since being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis—commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.
“I will fly to Germany and eat the head off a rattlesnake if that would help.”
Eric Says He’s Finding Strength in Science
“I’m very hopeful… I don’t think this is the end of my story,” Dane told Sawyer. “And whether it is or it isn’t, I’m gonna carry that idea with me.”
Dane credits his renewed hope to neurologist and ALS researcher Dr. Merit Cudkowicz. “That’s what I got from [Dr. Cudkowicz] when I met her… there was a sense of hope I didn’t get from other doctors that I met with,” he said.
Cudkowicz added that researchers are racing toward better treatments. “Between artificial intelligence and other imaging technology, that’s what gets me excited,” she shared. “And that’s all coming in the next, I think, one to two years, if not faster.”
According to the CDC, there are over 5K people diagnosed with ALS annually.
Eric: “I Will Never Forget Those Three Letters”
Dane revealed he first noticed something was off when his right hand began to weaken. “I didn’t really think anything of it at the time,” he said. “I thought maybe I’d been texting too much… A few weeks later, I noticed it’d gotten a little worse.”
After being referred from specialist to specialist, he finally received his diagnosis. “I will never forget those three letters, [ALS]. It’s on me the second I wake up. It’s not a dream.”
Dane said his right arm has completely stopped functioning, and his left is starting to deteriorate. “A few more months, and I won’t have my left hand either,” he said, calling the realization “sobering.”
Eric Refuses to Slow Down
Despite the physical toll of ALS, Dane is not stepping away from acting. “I’m going to ride this till the wheels fall off,” he told E! News in an exclusive interview with “Countdown” co-star Jensen Ackles.
Dane added, “It keeps me sharp. It keeps me moving forward, which is super important right now.”
“I feel great when I’m at work,” he continued. “Of course, there have been some sort of setbacks, but I feel pretty good. My spirit is always pretty buoyant, so at the end of the day, that’s all that matters.”
Dane shares daughters Billie, 15, and Georgia, 13, with his wife, Rebecca Gayheart.
He said the diagnosis has made his time with them even more precious and gives him even more reason to keep pushing forward.
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Eric Dane Says He’s ‘Very Hopeful’ in His Battle With ALS