Eric Dane was misdiagnosed months before he received ALS 'death sentence', memoir reveals
Eric Dane's memoir has revealed the actor was initially misdiagnosed with a treatable illness before being told he had ALS.
The Grey's Anatomy star died from the disease in February this year after detailing his prognosis in April of 2025.
Before his passing, Dane wrote a memoir, My Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments, which releases on Tuesday (November 3).
In that, Dane spoke of 'gradually losing any use of [his] right hand' as he sought answers from healthcare professionals.
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"First, I saw a hand specialist, who passed me off to another hand specialist, who sent me to a neurologist," he recalled in the book, as per Page Six.
"I shuttled from doctor to doctor and underwent a battery of tests, including one called an EMG, an electromyography test."
Dane claimed that he received 'a diagnostic consensus' of multifocal motor neuropathy, which isn't curable but can be managed with the correct treatment.
However, Dane did not respond to treatment, which lead doctors to believe he may have ALS.
The actor was diagnosed with the disease, which is a degenerative health condition that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, according to Mayo Clinic.
There is no cure for the disease and the condition gets progressively worse over time.
In his memoir, Dane described the disease as a 'death sentence' and the makings of a 'horror movie'.
Dane's representatives confirmed in a statement in February that the actor had passed away at the age of 53.
"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 [actress Rebecca Gayheart] and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world," the statement said.
“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.”
Dane previously revealed that he began experiencing symptoms around 18 months before going public with his diagnosis, initially passing them off as the result of spending too much time on his phone.
He told Good Morning America last year: "I started experiencing some weakness in my right hand. I didn’t really think anything of it at the time. I thought maybe I’d been texting too much or my hand was fatigued, but a few weeks later I noticed it got a little worse."
Come summer 2025, the actor's symptoms were much more debilitating.
"My left side is functioning, my right side has completely stopped working," he said.
"I feel like maybe a couple more months, and I won’t have my left hand either. It’s sobering."
Callum Jones
