'Grey's Anatomy' star Eric Dane's cause of death revealed
'Grey's Anatomy' star Eric Dane's cause of death revealed
Taijuan Moorman and KiMi Robinson, USA TODAYMon, March 2, 2026 at 6:49 PM UTC
0
'Grey's Anatomy' star Eric Dane's cause of death revealed
"Grey's Anatomy" star Eric Dane's cause of death has been released.
The actor, who revealed his battle with ALS in April 2025, died from respiratory failure, with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig's disease listed as the underlying cause, according to a Los Angeles County Medical Examiner report obtained by People.
Dane died Feb. 19 – on the 20th anniversary of his first appearance on "Grey's" – in Los Angeles at 53. His representative, Melissa Bank, confirmed the news in a statement to USA TODAY.
"With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS," Bank said at the time. "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."
1 / 0From 'Grey's Anatomy' to 'Brilliant Minds,' see Eric Dane's career
Eric Dane played Dr. Mark Sloan, aka "McSteamy," on "Grey's Anatomy" for six seasons, but he's not done wooing his audiences yet. In 2025, Dane returned to TV on another medical drama, making his "Brilliant Minds" debut as "Bronx-Gen's favorite silver fox." Dane revealed in April that he’d been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, known as ALS. See the actor's career in the spotlight from the early 2000's to now, including here as he attends the "Countdown" premiere and afterparty on June 18, 2025, in Los Angeles.
Three weeks before his death, Dane dropped out of an ALS Network gala "due to the physical realities of living with ALS," the organization said in a Jan. 25 statement to USA TODAY. The actor was to be honored with the Dean and Kathleen Rasmussen Advocate of the Year Award.
Advertisement
"Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research," Bank's statement continued. He was "determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight."
The award-winning actor was candid about his life with the neurodegenerative condition, revealing in an October Washington Post interview that he missed a 20th anniversary celebration of "Grey's Anatomy" at the 2025 Emmy Awards after a fall in his kitchen landed him in the hospital.
"ALS is a nasty disease," Dane told the outlet, adding that during the awards ceremony, he was "getting stitches put in my head."
Dane played the cheeky Dr. Mark Sloan, aka "McSteamy," in the ABC medical drama, and Cal Jacobs, the toxic father to Jacob Elordi's Nate Jacobs on HBO's "Euphoria" since the show's 2019 debut. He reprises the latter role in the show's upcoming third season, due April 12.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Eric Dane's cause of death revealed after ALS fight
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
