Rebecca Gayheart honors late Eric Dane with intimate family photos after his death
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Actress Rebecca Gayheart is paying tribute to her late husband Eric Dane with heartfelt family memories.
On Saturday, February 21, the 54-year-old posted a series of candid throwback photos on Instagram, capturing Dane with their daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 13, just days after his passing. The posts also reshared tributes from friends and colleagues remembering the actor.
Rebecca Gayheart shares intimate family memories of Eric Dane after his death
Gayheart’s Instagram Stories showcased warm, intimate snapshots of Dane smiling with his daughters, highlighting the closeness of their family. Dane passed away on Thursday, February 19, at age 53, ten months after publicly revealing his diagnosis with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
A family statement shared that Dane 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.” The posts underscored how central fatherhood remained to Dane, even as his health declined.
Rebecca Gayheart supported Eric Dane through ALS battle despite separation
Gayheart and Dane met in 2003 and married less than a year later in Las Vegas. Though they separated in 2018, she remained closely involved in his care throughout his ALS battle. In a December 2025 essay for The Cut, Gayheart explained she coordinated Dane’s complex medical schedule, divided into 21 shifts, often stepping in when needed.
During a November 2025 appearance on the Broad Ideas podcast, she discussed guiding their daughters through their father’s illness. “He is our family. He is your father,” she told Billie and Georgia. “We show up, and we try to do it with dignity and grace and just get through it.”
‘Grey’s Anatomy’ co-stars pay tribute to Eric Dane after his passing
Following news of his death, several former co-stars expressed grief. Patrick Dempsey, who worked with Dane on 'Grey’s Anatomy,' spoke emotionally on 'The Chris Evans Breakfast Show' on February 20, recalling Dane’s humor and the joy he brought to the set.
Patrick Dempsey pays tribute to his Grey's Anatomy co-star Eric Dane on this week's TFI FRIDAY UNPLUGGED.
— Chuck Thomas (@chuckthomasuk) February 21, 2026
Watch on YouTube: https://t.co/qWfJI5nH1h pic.twitter.com/gtWG8E9vYB
Kate Walsh also shared an Instagram tribute, writing she was “at a loss for words” over Dane’s passing and sending prayers to his daughters and Gayheart. She praised his “sensitivity, vulnerability, and intelligence,” recalling how the cast became like family during the series.
Gayheart’s tribute posts, filled with intimate family moments, offer a glimpse into the love Dane shared with his daughters and highlight the enduring bond that defined his life.