Entertainment
‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Star Announces Tragic Diagnosis
A heartbreaking announcement by Eric Dane, the 52-year-old sensation from the award-winning series “Euphoria,” has revealed that he will be struggling with serious health concerns for the rest of his life.
Dane told People that he is grateful to have his family by his side as he heads into the next stage of his life battling ALS, a neuromuscular degenerative disorder that was long known as Lou Gehrig’s disease and afflicted renowned physicist Stephen Hawking before his death in 2018.
The “Grey’s Anatomy” star first shared the news with People in a statement on Thursday.
“I have been diagnosed with ALS,” Dane, 52, said. “I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter.”
“I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of ‘Euphoria’ next week,” he continued. “I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.”
Despite his unimaginable health hardship, Dane has confirmed he’ll be returning for a third season of the hit HBO series when production begins later this month.
He has been married to his wife Rebecca Gayheart since 2004. She filed for divorce in 2018 but recently asked a judge to dismiss the paperwork, suggesting she and Dane have made amends following his diagnosis, according to the outlet.
The couple have two daughters: Billie Beatrice, 15, and Georgia Geraldine, 13.
ALS, short for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, according to the ALS Association.
ALS affects nerve cells, or motor neurons, in the brain and spine that control voluntary muscle movements. As the condition progresses, those nerves will have difficulty communicating with muscles.
The ability to “eat, speak, and move” gradually declines with age, and patients may even die after losing the ability to breathe.
Most commonly affected are individuals between the ages of 40 and 70, though ALS has been known to strike younger patients as well.
There are two types of ALS: sporadic ALS and familial ALS. 90% of all ALS cases are sporadic, meaning they occur randomly in individuals and without genetic or hereditary factors, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The other 10% of cases come from gene mutations inherited from parents.
There is no cure for ALS, and most individuals diagnosed with the disease are given three to five years to live, according to the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Other stars living with ALS include Aaron Lazar, John Driskell Hopkins, Eric Stevens, Joe Bonsall, Roberta Flack, and Kenneth Mitchell, according to People.
