Rebecca Gayheart honors late Eric Dane with intimate family photos after his death

Rebecca Gayheart shared throwback photos showing Dane with their daughters, highlighting the actor’s role as a devoted father and family man.
PUBLISHED FEB 22, 2026
Rebecca Gayheart shared intimate throwback photos of Eric Dane with their daughters after his death (@rebeccagayheartdane/Instagram)
Rebecca Gayheart shared intimate throwback photos of Eric Dane with their daughters after his death (@rebeccagayheartdane/Instagram)

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.

BRENTWOOD, CA - JUNE 03: Actor Eric Dane and actress Rebecca Gayheart attend the 16th annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball on June 3, 2017 in Brentwood, California. (Photo by Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)
Actor Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart attended the 16th annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball in 2017 (Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)

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.

Rebecca Gayheart shares emotional throwbacks of Eric Dane with daughters after actor’s death (@rebeccagayheartdane/Instagram)
Rebecca Gayheart shared emotional throwbacks of Dane with their daughters following his passing (@rebeccagayheartdane/Instagram)

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

Actor Eric Dane, actress Rebecca Gayheart and daughters Billie Beatrice Dane and Georgia Dane attend the 16th annual Chrysalis Butterfly Ball on June 3, 2017 in Brentwood, California. (Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)
Eric Dane, Rebecca Gayheart, and daughters Billie and Georgia at the 2017 Chrysalis Butterfly Ball (Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)

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.

Rebecca Gayheart shares emotional throwbacks of Eric Dane with daughters after actor’s death (@rebeccagayheartdane/Instagram)
Rebecca Gayheart shared heartfelt family throwbacks of Dane with their daughters after his death (@rebeccagayheartdane/Instagram)

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

Eric Dane attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Columbia Pictures'
Eric Dane at the Los Angeles premiere of 'Bad Boys: Ride or Die' on May 30, 2024 (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

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.



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.

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