Eric Dane’s friends are stepping in to protect what mattered most to him—his daughters.
In the wake of the 53-year-old Grey’s Anatomy star’s death on Thursday, those close to Dane have launched a GoFundMe aimed at supporting his two children as his family grapples with the loss. The fundraiser is centered on daughters Billie, 15, and Georgia, 13, whom organizers described as “the center of his world.”
Dane died following a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. He had publicly disclosed his diagnosis 10 months ago.
According to the fundraiser, which has a goal of $250,000, the disease “progressed far more quickly than anyone could have imagined,” prompting friends to organize financial support to help secure his daughters’ future. “Any contribution, no matter the size,” the fundraiser wrote, ”will help provide stability during this incredibly difficult time and in the future for Eric’s wonderful daughters."
Top donors to the GoFundMe include Euphoria creator Sam Levinson and his wife, Ashley, who contributed $27,000. Dane starred in the show. Film producer Randall Emmett contributed $10,000, and several top donors were anonymous.
Even as his health deteriorated, Dane remained focused on others battling ALS, the fundraiser notes, highlighting his continued advocacy.
Rebecca Gayheart, 54, and Dane separated in 2018 but moved to dismiss their divorce last March. Gayheart told The Cut in an interview last year that she had stepped into a primary caregiving role, helping coordinate around-the-clock medical care that was divided into 21 shifts to meet his escalating needs.
As her husband’s condition deteriorated, she told the outlet that she made a point to reinforce family unity for their daughters as Dane’s condition progressed. “We show up for people no matter what,” she said. “He is our family. He is your father.”
Gayheart also pledged to make Dane’s final stretch “better” and “easier” wherever possible.
Before his death, Dane recorded a deeply personal message for his daughters as part of Netflix’s Famous Last Words.
“Live now. Right now. In the present,” he said. “It’s hard, but I learned to do that.”
He urged them to seek fulfillment beyond relationships, encouraging them to “fall in love with something”—a passion or purpose that would drive them forward.
Dane also reflected on Gayheart, describing her as the person he loved most deeply and emphasizing her role as the mother of his children.
Dane also completed a memoir, Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments, chronicling his life, career, and experience with ALS. Publisher Maria Shriver paid tribute following his death, writing that Dane wanted his family to know how deeply he loved them—and to “leave them a story they could be proud of.”
