Eric Dane's Final Months: A Battle with ALS and a Legacy of Love This article chronicles Eric Dane's journey from the onset of ALS symptoms in 2024 to his passing in 2026. It highlights his unwavering determination to fight the disease, his commitment to his family, and his advocacy for ALS research, as detailed in his personal writings and interviews. I'm eating sushi with my kids and suddenly I can't work the chopsticks with my right hand. My hand tingles, and then my fingers feel numb," Dane wrote of his symptoms first showing up on January 7, 2024, per a book excerpt published byon Sunday, October 18. "Some kind of weird nerve thing, I think. I shake it off. I'm probably texting too much. Three weeks later, it happens again, only worse.I can't grip the chopsticks at all.Eric Dane ALS Diagnosis Details""We were married for 14 years, grew apart, filed for divorce, but never got around to signing the papers," he recalled in the book passage of Gayheart, now 55. "We've since stayed close, coparenting, going on vacations as a family, spending time together and now we talk every day. I say to Rebecca on the phone, 'It's what we feared.' I don't remember a single word I said after that. "Eric Dane was diagnosed with ALS nearly one year before he died in February 2026 at the age of 53. "I've always had a sense of humor about this," Dane said in a Famous Last Words interview, which aired posthumously on Netflix. "It's really kind of interesting what's happening to my body.The mechanics of Dane continued, "I remember only feeling a violent impact, like getting the wind knocked out of me, and Rebecca wailing on the other end of the phone, and then I really lose it, and my sobs make my body shudder, and I hear her words pouring out amid her tears, 'I'm here, we'll fight this together, I'm not going anywhere.Dane Fighting ALS With Grace'" "I'm going to take this on. I'm going to fight. I'm going to show my girls how to walk through this life with grace and dignity, no matter what," he penned." I am going to FIGHT. This has become my purpose. My reason. This is now my job."Related:Eric Dane spoke candidly about how his ALS diagnosis made him feel in the months before his death at age 53. "I don't think this is the end of my story. I just don't feel like in my heart this is the end for me," Dane shared in a June 2025 interview with ABC News. .Eric Dane Final Days Advocacy"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. " The obituary added, "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 family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time. "Melissa Gilbert Shares Cryptic Post After Timothy Busfield's Case Update