Rebecca Gayheart Says She's ‘Blown Away’ by ‘Outpouring of Love and Support’ After Eric Dane’s Death
Rebecca Gayheart Says She's ‘Blown Away’ by ‘Outpouring of Love and Support’ After Eric Dane’s Death
Desiree AnelloSun, February 22, 2026 at 4:39 PM UTC
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Rebecca Gayheart and Eric Dane
Rebecca Gayheart/Instagram
Eric Dane died on Thursday, Feb. 19, just 10 months after announcing he had been diagnosed with ALS
Rebecca Gayheart expressed that she was “blown away” by the “outpouring of love and support" following the Grey’s Anatomy alum's death
“You are truly holding us up during this difficult time,” she wrote on her Instagram Stories
Rebecca Gayheart is leaning on her community following the death of her husband, Eric Dane.
On Sunday, Feb. 22, Gayheart, 54, took to her Instagram Stories to express how “blown away” she’s been by the “outpouring of love and support from our community" following the Grey’s Anatomy alum's death.
“There aren’t words to express our gratitude,” she wrote alongside a photo of a candlelit memorial honoring the late actor. “You are truly holding us up during this difficult time.”
Hours prior, the actress shared a collection of throwback photos of the Euphoria star with their two daughters — Billie, 15, and Georgia, 13 — as well as reposted tributes from a number of friends and loved ones.
Rebecca Gayheart on her Instagram Stories
Rebecca Gayheart/Instagram
Dane went public with his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) 10 months before his death. According to the actor’s family, he died on Thursday, Feb. 19, at the age of 53, “following a courageous battle with ALS.”
"He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world," his family said in a statement to PEOPLE. "Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight. He will be deeply missed, and lovingly remembered always.”
“Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he’s received,” the statement continued. “The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time.”
Dane met Gayheart in 2003, and the pair wed less than a year later in Las Vegas. They separated in 2018, but Gayheart was a key caregiver for the actor amid his ALS journey.
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During a November appearance on the Broad Ideas podcast, Gayheart said that she’d been telling her girls to “show up for people no matter what” as their father’s ALS progressed.
"He is our family. He is your father," she recalled telling her daughters. "We show up, and we try to do it with some dignity and some grace and just get through it."
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Eric Dane, Rebecca Gayheart and daughters Billie Beatrice Dane and Georgia Dane attend the 16th annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball on June 3, 2017 in Brentwood, California.
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
Gayheart also revealed that her daughters were living with her “100%” after her and Dane’s split.
"We've been separated for eight years. The kids live with me 100 percent of the time," she explained at the time. "I try to stay optimistic, though, about it all. I'm trying to learn from it and [be a] role model for them [in] how to go through something like this, which is really hard."
"I don't know if I'm doing it well or if I'm doing it in the wrong way or the right way,” she added. I'm just showing up. I'm showing up and I'm trying to be there for them. I guess time will tell."
In an essay for The Cut published in December 2025, the actress said she had taken charge of Dane’s medical care in the months before his death, which had been divided into 21 shifts.
“There are times that shifts aren’t covered, so I cover them,” she told the outlet. “There was a 12-hour shift recently that I could not cover. I could only do four hours because of all the stuff that the kids are doing.”
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
