The beloved “McSteamy” from ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ Eric Dane, passed away at age 53, nearly a year after revealing his ALS diagnosis. Dane is survived by his wife, Rebecca Gayheart, and their two daughters. He spent his final days surrounded by those closest to him. Here’s a look at Eric Dane’s family.
Who is Eric Dane’s wife, Rebecca Gayheart?
Rebecca Gayheart has had a steady career across television and film. She started her career in the ’90s playing Hannah Mayberry on the soap operas ‘Loving’ and ‘All My Children.’ From there, she transitioned to primetime favorites like ‘Beverly Hills, 90210’ (1995), ‘Dead Like Me’ (2003), and ‘Nip/Tuck’ (2004–2006), as well as the short-lived drama ‘Vanished’ (2006).She appeared in popular films such as ‘Scream 2’ and ‘Urban Legend,’ as well as the 1999 cult classic ‘Jawbreaker.’ In 2019, she appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood as Billie Booth, the doomed wife of Brad Pitt’s Cliff Booth.
Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart’s relationship timeline
Eric and Rebecca began dating in 2003 and married the following year in Las Vegas. In 2018, Rebecca filed for divorce, but dismissed the petition about a month before Eric announced his diagnosis.Though Eric and Rebecca were long separated, they remained close. As she revealed in a December 2025 essay in The Cut, the pair lived just 12 minutes apart.
Eric Dane was also a devoted father of two daughters
Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart had two daughters together. They welcomed their first child in March 2010. During a 2016 appearance on Harry Connick Jr.’s talk show, Eric revealed she was named after his father: “Whether it was a boy or a girl, the firstborn was gonna be a Billie,” he said. After Billie, their family grew in December 2011 with the arrival of their second daughter, Georgia.
How the family took Eric Dane’s ALS battle
In September 2025, Rebecca told PEOPLE that she and the girls were “taking it day by day” after Eric’s diagnosis. “We have some professional therapists helping us, and we’re just trying to have some hope and do it with dignity, grace, and love,” Rebecca said. “I mean, it’s heartbreaking. My girls are really suffering, and we’re just trying to get through it.”
Eric Dane’s last interview and the message he left to his daughters
In his final interview, Eric spoke directly to his daughters. It was conducted for Famous Last Words, a Netflix series in which public figures partake in an interview they know will air after their death. It premiered on Friday, Feb. 20, the day after he passed.“Billie and Georgia, these words are for you,” he began. “I tried. I stumbled sometimes, but I tried. Overall, we had a blast, didn’t we? I remember all the times we spent at the beach, the two of you, me, and mom, in Santa Monica, Hawaii, and Mexico. I see you now playing in the ocean for hours, my water babies. Those days, pun intended, were heaven.”And finally, Eric Dane offered four lessons he’d learned from his battle with ALS: live in the present, fall in love, choose friends wisely, and fight with everything you have.
