How ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Honored Eric Dane With Moving Tribute

How ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Honored Eric Dane With Moving Tribute

Gone, but never forgotten. Eric Dane’s “Grey’s Anatomy” family honored his memory with a heartfelt tribute one week after his passing. The actor died at age 53 on Feb. 19 following complications from ALS, and the long-running medical drama acknowledged his time on the show with a montage of his best moments as Dr. Mark “McSteamy” Sloan. Dane’s death coincidentally fell on the 20th anniversary of his “Grey’s” debut. He starred on the series for seven seasons as the fan-favorite McSteamy, his story coming to end with Dr. Sloan’s tragic death in a plane crash. Dane went public with his ALS diagnosis in 2025 and was open about his journey, from the personal challenges he faced to embracing advocacy for better awareness and research into the devastating neurodegenerative disease, for which there is currently no cure. He is survived by his estranged wife, Rebecca Gayheart, whom he married in 2004, and their two teenage daughters. Gayheart previously spoke about how she and Dane remained committed co-parents after ending their romantic partnership, telling the “Broad Ideas” podcast with Rachel Bilson and Olivia Allen last November that she and the girls were dedicated to being by his side throughout his illness. Two months before his death, Dane delivered an emotional message to Billie and Georgia for Netflix’s “Famous Last Words” that he wanted to keep under wraps until he had passed.