Eric Dane's girlfriend breaks silence on his death with heartbreaking tribute
Lucy Devine
Featured Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images
Eric Dane's girlfriend Janell Shirtcliff has shared a tribute to the Grey's Anatomy star following his death last week.
Dane died aged 53 on February 19 following a brief battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
As per Mayo Clinic, the condition is a disease of the nervous system that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
It gets worse over time and eventually impacts the muscles needed to move, speak, eat and breathe.
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Dane was diagnosed with the degenerative disease in April 2025 and was very open and honest about the illness, making it his mission to raise awareness about ALS.
Following Dane's death, his girlfriend Janell has shared a tribute to the actor on social media, posting a number of memories that the couple experienced together.
In one photo, Dane can be seen sitting under the shade of a palm tree, while a second sees the actor kissing Janell's shoulder.
The posts also included footage of the couple singing and driving together, as well as a reel with Janell's daughter, whose name is not known.
Dane was married to Rebecca Gayheart at the time of his death, with the pair splitting back in 2017.
The pair were set to get divorced, but Gayheart withdrew the filing after Dane's ALS diagnosis in 2025.
They share two daughters together, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14, and were together for 15 years before they parted ways.
Gayheart recently opened up about caring for Dane, explaining some of the early symptoms he first noticed.
"His symptoms started maybe a year prior," she explained in an essay for The Cut.
"When we would have a meal with the kids, he’d say things like, 'Something’s wrong with my hand'.
"He was struggling to use his chopsticks, dropping his food. That was when he started seeing doctors. He was initially diagnosed with a few other things, but he had this sinking feeling that it was something more serious. And I was like, 'No, it’s not. I promise you it’s not. I can feel this! It’s gonna be okay.'"
A GoFundMe page has been set up by friends to help with future expenses and provide stability for Dane's daughters, who were often described as the centre of his world.
The fundraiser has now surpassed $277,000, boosted by a significant contribution from Euphoria director Sam Levinson and his wife Ashley, whose $27,000 donation currently stands as the campaign’s top contribution.