Eric Dane reveals heartbreaking details of his ALS battle in posthumous memoir

Eric Dane reflects on his ALS battle, addiction recovery and family in My Book of Days, his memoir arriving November 3

Eric Dane opens up about his career, addiction struggles, family life and battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in his upcoming memoir, My Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments. The book offers a personal account of the actor’s life before his death in February 2026, aged 53.

In an exclusive excerpt published by PEOPLE on October 18, Dane recounts the early symptoms of ALS, which he first noticed on January 7, 2024. While eating sushi with his daughters, he struggled to hold chopsticks with his right hand. After months of seeking answers, he was diagnosed with the progressive neurological disease in April 2025.

Dane describes calling his estranged wife, actress Rebecca Gayheart, after receiving the diagnosis. Although the couple had filed for divorce after 14 years of marriage, they remained close and continued raising their daughters together.

The memoir also revisits Dane’s struggles with substance addiction, including a relapse during his time on Grey’s Anatomy. He joined the medical drama in 2005 as Dr Mark Sloan, a role that brought him widespread recognition. However, his addiction affected his personal life and work, leading him to seek rehabilitation five times during his tenure on the show.

Dane also reflects on his departure from Grey’s Anatomy in 2012, explaining that financial considerations, rather than his addiction alone, led to the end of his character’s run. He later starred in The Last Ship and HBO’s Euphoria.

In the book, Dane shares emotional moments with his daughters, Billie and Georgia, as ALS progressively affected his mobility. He recalls being unable to hug Billie after her ballet performance, describing the experience as painful but deeply meaningful.

Despite his illness, Dane urged his daughters to remain resilient and never give up. My Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments will be published on November 3, 2026, by The Open Field, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group.

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