NEED TO KNOW
- Eric Dane revealed in April that he had been diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis).
- His ex-wife Rebecca Gayheart has since taken charge of his medical care.
- When nursing shifts aren’t covered, Rebecca steps in herself, with occasional help from Eric’s friends.
Rebecca Gayheart has spoken openly about the emotional and demanding experience of caring for her ex-husband, Eric Dane.
The actress offered a glimpse into the challenges behind the scenes as Dane lives with ALS, describing what it has taken to provide him with around-the-clock medical care.
In a candid essay for The Cut, the 54-year-old explained how she assumed a caregiving role after his diagnosis, noting, “Eric has 24/7 nurses now.”
What is ALS?
Eric, 52, publicly confirmed in April that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
ALS is a progressive neurological condition that affects motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, gradually limiting a person’s ability to move, speak, eat, and breathe independently.
While some treatments may slow the progression of the disease, there is currently no cure.
Speaking to Diane Sawyer for Good Morning America in June, Eric said that his symptoms began about a year and a half earlier, when he noticed weakness in his right hand.
He added at the time: “My left side is functioning, my right side has completely stopped working… I feel like maybe a couple more months, and I won’t have my left hand either. It’s sobering.”
How is Rebecca Gayheart helping Eric Dane?
Although the former couple separated in 2018, Rebecca- who once described their relationship as “super complicated”- has taken the lead in managing Dane’s medical needs.
She explained that his care schedule is broken into 21 separate nursing shifts, and when coverage falls through, she steps in herself.
“There are times that shifts aren’t covered, so I cover them,” she said. “There was a 12-hour shift recently that I could not cover. I could only do four hours because of all the stuff that the kids are doing.”
Rebecca shares daughters Billie, 15, and Georgia, 13, with the Euphoria actor.
How long were Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart married?
Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart were married for 14 years, tying the knot in 2004 before separating in 2018.
The former couple have spoken openly about the challenges they faced during their marriage, including Eric’s struggles with addiction and the pressures of balancing family life with demanding careers.
Despite their split, the pair have remained closely connected while co-parenting their two daughters.
In March 2025, just one month before Eric publicly shared his ALS diagnosis, Rebecca requested to dismiss her divorce filing.
During an interview with E! shortly afterwards, Rebecca confirmed that she and Eric are still married and “the best of friends.”
During an appearance on the Broad Ideas podcast, Rebecca said: “I am definitely trying to show [my daughters] that we show up for people no matter what. And he is our family, he is your father.”
What has been the toughest part for Rebecca Gayheart?
Rebecca explained that navigating the healthcare system quickly became one of her biggest challenges.
Despite the urgent need for in-home nursing care, she said the insurance approval process was far from straightforward.
“Just figuring out the health-care system is its own thing- the health-insurance company will deny you what you’re asking for and you have to appeal and then you have to apply again,” she wrote.
She recalled a particularly frustrating exchange while trying to secure home nursing services: “the woman from his insurance said to me, ‘You can keep applying, and I’ll keep denying,’ I was like, ‘Oh? F that.’ I made it my mission.”
After two formal appeals, Rebecca finally succeeded. “We got it approved after two appeals,” she shared.
Who else has stepped up to help?
When she couldn’t manage a full shift on her own, Rebecca reached out to Eric’s friends- even though it wasn’t easy to ask.
“I had to call on two of Eric’s friends, one of them who had never really taken care of him in that way. I thought, ‘I can’t believe I had to ask someone to do this.’”
Her fears were quickly eased.
“And of course when I asked for help, they said, ‘Yeah, anything, what do you need? What’s going on?’ And they both showed up and did a wonderful job.”
What does Rebecca think of those who don’t help Eric?
Not everyone in Rebecca’s life has been able to show up in the same way, something she admits has been difficult to process.
“There are a lot of people who used to be more present in my life who I think about and wonder, ‘Where’d they go?’”
She said she’s worked through those feelings in therapy, coming to a place of understanding.
“I’ve talked to my therapist about it a lot,” she shared, adding that she’s realised “most people are not great in this situation because it’s so heavy.”
Ultimately, the actress said she holds no resentment.
“It’s not easy for people,” she explained. “So I don’t hold any grudges toward [anyone] who hasn’t shown up.”
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