Just months before his death, the Grey’s Anatomy actor Eric Dane conducted his final interview, recording an extremely personal message to his teenage daughters. In the emotional conversation, Eric addressed his daughters directly, urging them to live life to the fullest while remaining strong and resilient in the face of life’s many challenges.
Eric Dane’s last words to daughters
The actor passed away on February 19 after a long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Before his death, he quietly filmed an interview with Netflix for their series Famous Last Words, which took place in November 2025 and was kept secret until its posthumous release.
At the end of the interview, after being left alone with the camera, Eric addressed his teenage daughters, 15-year-old Billie and 14-year-old Georgia. In the final moments of the episode, Eric says, “Billy and Georgia, these words are for you. I tried. I faltered sometimes, but I tried. Overall, we had a blast, didn’t we?”
Eric also reflected on the time he spent with his wife and daughters on the beaches of Santa Monica, Hawaii and Mexico and became emotional. He noted, “I watch you play in the ocean for hours now, my water children. Those days, as it has been said, were heaven. I want to tell you four things I have learned from this disease, and I hope you don’t just listen to me. I hope you listen to me.”
His four pieces of advice focused on learning to live in the present. He shared that he spent too much time “swelling and worrying in self-pity, shame and doubt”, admitting that he constantly regretted his decisions and second-guessed himself.
In the first piece of advice, Eric encouraged them to live in the present, and the second was to find love in their life, not necessarily with another person, it could be their passion or anything that brings them joy.
After this the Euphoria actor asked his daughters to choose their friends wisely. Eric said he is very grateful to his friends who “stepped up” for him during his illness. He mentioned that he can’t do any of the things anymore, like going to the gym, walking around town, and drinking coffee, but he’s grateful to his friends for just showing up.
In the end, Eric told his daughters to fight with everything they have and to never give up. He said, “Ultimately, fight with every aspect of your existence and with dignity. When you face challenges, health or otherwise, fight. Never give up. Fight till your last breath. This disease is slowly taking over my body, but it will never take away my soul.”
Eric then tells his daughters that although they are different people, they have both inherited his strength and resilience. Calling it his superpower, Eric said, “I bounce right back up, and I keep coming back… I hope I’ve demonstrated that you can face anything. You can face the end of your days. You can face hell with honor. Fight the girls, and keep your heads held high… Billy and Georgia, you are my heart. You are my everything. Good night. I love you. These are my last words.”
Eric Dane dies at the age of 53
Eric Dane, best known for playing Dr. Mark “McSteamy” Sloane on Grey’s Anatomy, has died at the age of 53 after a battle with ALS. His death came 10 months after making public his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Eric died on February 19, the actor’s family confirmed. A statement from Eric’s family read, “With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed away on Thursday afternoon after a courageous battle with ALS. He spent his final days surrounded by loving friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world.”
It further reads, “Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same battle. He will be deeply missed, and will always be remembered fondly. Eric loved his fans and is forever grateful for the love and support he received. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time.”
In 2004, he married actress Rebecca Gayheart. They welcomed daughters Billie and Georgia in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Rebecca filed for divorce in 2018. However, she filed to dismiss the divorce in March 2025.