Actor Eric Dane recounted the initial symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) that he did not take seriously in an excerpt from his posthumous memoir, "Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments." Dane, who died earlier this year at 53, described an incident where he struggled to use chopsticks with his right hand.
"My hand tingles, and then my fingers feel numb. Some kind of weird nerve thing, I think. I shake it off," Dane wrote, initially attributing the sensation to excessive texting. However, the symptom recurred with increased severity about three weeks later, rendering him unable to grip the chopsticks at all.
The "Grey's Anatomy" star's journey to diagnosis involved multiple specialists. He shared with Diane Sawyer that after initial consultations with hand specialists, he was referred to neurologists. One neurologist eventually stated that the condition was "way above my pay grade."
It took nine months for Dane to receive a formal ALS diagnosis, which he publicly announced in April 2025. He passed away in February 2026. Dane's family stated that he spent his final days surrounded by friends, his wife Rebecca Gayheart, and their daughters, Billie Beatrice and Georgia Geraldine. They also noted his advocacy for ALS awareness and research following his diagnosis.
