Rebecca Gayheart, widow of actor Eric Dane, paid tribute to her late husband on Monday, marking what would have been his 54th birthday. Gayheart, 55, shared a nostalgic black-and-white photograph on her Instagram Stories, depicting Dane holding their daughters, Billie, now 16, and Georgia, now 14, when they were young.

"Happy heavenly birthday," Gayheart captioned the image, adding an angel wings emoji. The photo featured the "Grey's Anatomy" star shirtless as he embraced his daughters. She also shared an image of a birthday cake adorned with berries, with the simple caption, "Happy Birthday Dane."

This heartfelt tribute follows Gayheart's recent reflections on the final days she spent with Dane before his passing from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) on February 19 of this year. Speaking on the "Today Show" with Maria Shriver, Gayheart admitted she was taken by surprise by his death. She explained that Dane had been hospitalized multiple times previously, often returning home after treatment, leading her and their daughters to believe he would recover again. "I had no idea that that was it, that that week was going to be our last week," she shared. "And nor did my daughters. It really took a few days for us to understand the gravity of what that last trip to the hospital meant."

Gayheart recalled a significant shift by the third day of Dane's final hospitalization, noting a change in the doctors' tone and the information provided. She stated that Dane was aware of the changing situation and continued to communicate, though not always verbally. "He was fully aware it was shifting, and he was still communicating with us," she said, adding that she and their daughters could mostly understand him.

During his final days, Dane was reportedly aware of his impending death and made choices regarding his departure. Gayheart emphasized that he was in control of how he wanted to leave. Their daughters, Billie and Georgia, stayed by his side at the hospital, creating a peaceful environment with candles and his favorite music.

Gayheart also addressed the tendency for people to minimize her grief by assuming she had ample time to prepare for Dane's death. "A lot of people will say, 'Well, at least you knew, and you could have those last conversations,'" she told Shriver. "But we didn’t know, because there is no road map."

Dane's memoir, "My Book Of Days: A Memoir of Moments," was released posthumously, detailing his battle with addiction, his relationship with Gayheart, the initial signs of his illness, and his misdiagnosis before receiving the ALS diagnosis. In the memoir, Dane shared his final words of advice to his daughters, urging them to maintain a fighting spirit and face challenges with dignity, honesty, and grace.

He also outlined his specific wishes for his funeral, including a large venue, music spanning his diverse tastes, sushi and dessert for food, and a limited number of short, lighthearted speeches. He also suggested a "Ho’oponopono prayer," a Hawaiian tradition for the dying.

Dane, known for his role as Dr. Mark Sloan, or "McSteamy" on "Grey's Anatomy," died at 53. He and Gayheart, who married in 2004, split in 2017 but never finalized their divorce and remained amicable co-parents to their daughters. Gayheart supported Dane throughout his health struggles, including his earlier treatment for pain medication addiction and depression.