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Eric Dane, widely recognized for his roles in Grey's Anatomy and Euphoria, has stepped into a different spotlight—one marked by personal vulnerability and immense strength. In a deeply moving interview aired June 16 on Good Morning America, the 52-year-old actor recounted the moment his daughter rescued him from the ocean after his body, weakened by ALS, failed him.
"I jumped in the ocean and realized I couldn't swim," Dane said, visibly emotional. "I couldn't generate enough power to get back to the boat. I thought, 'Oh God,' and in that moment, I knew I wasn't safe anymore."
That terrifying realization came just months after Dane publicly revealed his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis. Also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that attacks the nerve cells controlling voluntary muscles. According to the Mayo Clinic, patients typically experience muscle weakness, slurred speech, and eventual paralysis. There is no known cure.
During the segment, Diane Sawyer revealed that it was one of Dane's daughters—either Billie, 15, or Georgia, 13—who pulled him to safety. "She dragged me back into the boat," Dane confirmed. "I broke down in tears. But I made sure she got back in the water to finish snorkeling with her friend. I didn't want to take that away from her."
The moment was both literal and symbolic. "I will never forget those three letters," Dane told Sawyer. "ALS—it's with me the second I wake up." He has since lost function in his dominant hand and is gradually losing it in the other.
Dane's wife, actress Rebecca Gayheart, filed to dismiss their 2018 divorce earlier this year. The two remain exceptionally close. "We talk every day," Dane shared, holding back tears. "She's my biggest champion. I lean on her."
Despite the grim prognosis—most ALS patients live only three to five years post-diagnosis, according to the Muscular Dystrophy Association—Dane is focused on creating meaningful moments. "This isn't the end of my story," he previously told PEOPLE. "It's just a different chapter."
Gayheart, speaking to E! News, added perspective. "It wasn't a failure. It was a season. We had 15 great years and two amazing daughters. That's a success."
