Eric Dane died at age 53. What to know about the actor's wife, kids.

News of the death of Eric Dane, known for starring in "Grey's Anatomy" and "Euphoria," has impacted his family, fans, and Hollywood peers.

The actor died at age 53 after a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (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 representative Melissa Bank said in a statement to USA TODAY on Thursday, Feb. 19.

Dane announced his diagnosis to the world in April 2025. His wife, actress and model Rebecca Gayheart, has openly supported him throughout the journey and has shared how it has affected his family.

Here's what we know about Eric Dane’s relationship with Rebecca Gayheart throughout the years.

Eric Dane was married to Rebecca Gayheart

As People reported, the actors first met in 2003 and got married in Las Vegas in 2004.

The couple had two daughters

Gayheart and Dane have two children together. According to US Weekly, the then couple welcomed their first daughter, Billie Beatrice, in March 2010. She was born at a Los Angeles hospital.

"She's beautiful," Dane shared with the outlet at the time. "When she came out, she was really alert and her eyes were open. The doctor gave her to her mom, and I was so … you know, I was obviously very emotional."

Gayheart gave birth to their second daughter, Georgia Geraldine, soonafter in December 2011, per People. Their children are now teenagers.

Gayheart decided to file for divorce in 2018

Citing irreconcilable differences, Gayheart filed for divorce from Dane in 2018.

"After 14 years together we have decided that ending our marriage is the best decision for our family," Gayheart and Dane previously told USA TODAY in a joint statement.

"We will continue our friendship and work as a team to co-parent our two beautiful girls as they are the most important thing in the world to us. We kindly ask that you respect our privacy during this time as we navigate the next phase of our lives.”  

The couple has faced challenges throughout their relationship, including Dane going into rehab in 2011 for an addiction to painkillers after a sports injury.

Gayheart dismissed the divorce filing last year

In March 2025, Gayheart filed to dismiss the divorce from Dane, shortly before he made his ALS diagnosis public.

That April, she told E! that they remain the "best of friends," while Dane told Diane Sawyer in a June interview that Gayheart is "probably my biggest champion, my most stalwart supporter, and I lean on her."

How Dane's diagnosis affected the family

In September, Gayheart shared that her children were speaking to professional therapists amid Dane's health battle, adding that "my girls are really suffering."

She later provided further insight into family life and how she wants to set an example for her daughters.

On the "Broad Ideas with Rachel Bilson & Olivia Allen" podcast in November, she emphasized that she doesn't want her daughters to have any regrets.

"This one is particularly difficult, because I just want to make sure I provide them with the opportunity to spend time with him," she said. "So that they don't ever look back and go, 'I wish I would had spent some time with my dad, or I wish I would have said this to him, or asked him these questions, or been there for him in a different kind of way."

Gayheart penned an essay about Dane

In an essay for The Cut published Monday, Dec. 29, Gayheart opened up about her complicated relationship with Dane, how their dynamic shifted throughout the years, and how she planned to continue to show up for him during a difficult time.

"We haven't lived in the same home for eight years. He's dated other people; I've dated someone," Gayheart wrote. "It's a very complicated relationship, one that's confusing for people. Our love may not be romantic, but it's a familial love."

She continued, "Eric knows that I am always going to want the best for him. That I'm going to do my best to do right by him. And I know he would do the same for me. So, whatever I can do or however I can show up to make this journey better for him or easier for him, I want to do that."

Contributing: Bryan Alexander, Anthony Robledo, Edward Segarra, USA TODAY

Taylor Ardrey is a news reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach her at [email protected].