Eric Dane receives round-the-clock nursing care as Rebecca Gayheart supports treatment

Rebecca Gayheart says Eric Dane now has 24-hour nursing care following his ALS diagnosis earlier this year

Eric Dane is receiving 24-hour nursing care following his diagnosis with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, according to his former wife Rebecca Gayheart. The actress shared details of her involvement in organising his care in a personal essay published by The Cut.

Gayheart, 54, wrote that she has taken an active role in navigating the healthcare system to secure consistent home nursing support for Dane, also 54. “Eric has 24/7 nurses now,” she wrote, explaining that the process required repeated appeals with insurance providers.

Dane revealed in April that he had been diagnosed with ALS, a progressive neurological condition that affects motor neurons and gradually impairs the ability to move, speak, eat and breathe independently. While treatments can slow the progression, there is currently no cure.

In her essay, Gayheart described the challenges of dealing with insurance companies while arranging care. “Just figuring out the health-care system is its own thing — the health-insurance company will deny you what you’re asking for and you have to appeal and then you have to apply again,” she wrote. She added that when seeking approval for home nursing care, she was told, “You can keep applying, and I’ll keep denying.”

Gayheart said she persisted and ultimately succeeded after two appeals. She explained that Dane’s care is divided into 21 shifts and that she personally fills in when coverage is unavailable. “There are times that shifts aren’t covered, so I cover them,” she wrote, noting that family commitments sometimes limit how much she can do herself.

The former couple, who separated in 2018, share two daughters. Gayheart said friends have occasionally stepped in to assist when she was unable to cover a full shift. She also reflected on how some people struggled to be present during the situation, adding that she does not hold resentment towards those who found it difficult.