Months before his death, Grey’s Anatomy actor Eric Dane sat down for what would become his final interview, recording a deeply personal message for his teenage daughters. In the emotional conversation, Eric addressed his daughters directly, urging them to live life to the fullest while staying strong and resilient in the face of life’s many challenges.
Eric Dane’s final words to daughters
The actor passed away on February 19 after a prolonged battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Prior to his death, he quietly filmed an interview with Netflix for their series Famous Last Words, which took place in November 2025 and was kept under wraps until its posthumous release.
At the end of the interview, Eric addressed his teenage daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14, after he was left alone with the camera. In the final moments of the episode, Eric says, “Billie and Georgia, these words are for you. I tried. I stumbled sometimes, but I tried. Overall, we had a blast, didn’t we?”
Eric also looked back at the time he spent at the beaches of Santa Monica, Hawaii, and Mexico with his wife and daughters, and got emotional. He mentioned, “I see you now playing in the ocean for hours, my water babies. Those days, pun intended, were heaven. I want to tell you four things I’ve learned from this disease, and I hope you don’t just listen to me. I hope you’ll hear me.”
His four pieces of advice centred on learning to live in the present. He shared that he spent far too much time “wallowing and worrying in self-pity, shame and doubt,” admitting he regrets constantly replaying his decisions and second-guessing himself.
In the first piece of advice, Eric encouraged them to live in the present, and the second was to find love in their lives,not necessarily with another person, saying it could be their passion or anything they find joy in.
The Euphoria actor then told his daughters to choose their friends wisely. Eric said he was so thankful to his friends who had all “stepped up” for him in his illness. He mentioned that he couldn’t do any of the things he used to anymore such as going to the gym, driving around town and getting coffee, but he was grateful to his friends for just showing up.
Lastly, Eric told his daughters to fight with all they had and never give up. He said, “Finally, fight with every ounce of your being and with dignity. When you face challenges, health or otherwise, fight. Never give up. Fight until your last breath. This disease is slowly taking my body, but it will never take my spirit.”
Eric then told his daughters that although they are different people, they’d both inherited his strength and resiliency. Calling it his superpower, Eric said, “I bounce right up, and I keep coming back… I hope I’ve demonstrated that you can face anything. You can face the end of your days. You can face hell with dignity. Fight girls, and hold your heads high… Billie and Georgia, you are my heart. You are my everything. Good night. I love you. Those are my last words.”
Eric Dane dies at 53
Eric Dane, best known for playing Dr Mark “McSteamy” Sloan on Grey’s Anatomy, died at 53 following a battle with ALS. His death came 10 months after he went public with his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Eric died on February 19, the actor’s family confirmed. A statement from Eric’s family read, “With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS. He 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.”
It further read, “Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight. He will be deeply missed, and lovingly remembered always. Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he’s received. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time.”
In 2004, he married actress Rebecca Gayheart. They welcomed daughters Billie and Georgia in 2010 and 2011, respectively. Rebecca filed for divorce in 2018. However, she filed to have the divorce dismissed in March 2025.
