Eric Dane friends launch GoFundMe for daughters after actor dies aged 53

Friends of Eric Dane have launched a GoFundMe campaign to support his two daughters following the actor’s death at the age of 53.

The Grey’s Anatomy star died on Thursday, February 19, 10 months after publicly announcing his diagnosis with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

He is survived by his daughters, Billie Beatrice Dane, 15, and Georgia Geraldine Dane, 13, whom he shared with his ex-wife, Rebecca Gayheart.

In a statement, his family said Dane spent “his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the centre of his world”.

According to the GoFundMe page, the funds will assist with medical expenses and support the girls’ future needs.

“Even as his own health declined, he remained deeply committed to helping others facing the same devastating disease,” the page states. “As his illness progressed far more quickly than anyone could have imagined, Eric's friends have come together to create this GoFundMe to support his girls and their future needs.”

Dane and Gayheart married in 2004 after meeting in 2003 and separated in 2018. Following his diagnosis, Gayheart took a leading role in organising his care.

In an essay published last year, she said his medical care had been divided into 21 shifts. “There are times that shifts aren’t covered, so I cover them,” she explained.

Speaking on a podcast in November 2025, Gayheart said she told her daughters: “We show up, and we try to do it with some dignity and some grace and just get through it.”