Chyler Leigh remembers Eric Dane two days after his death from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
For those who don’t know, the Burlesque actor passed away on Thursday, February 19, after being diagnosed with ALS in April 2025. ALS is a fatal disease that causes loss of control of upper and lower motor neurons, eventually causing a person to lose normal voluntary muscle contractions.
The 43-year-old American actress and singer, who played Lexi Gray – Dane’s love interest Grey’s anatomy, paid a moving tribute to her late co-star.
In a statement shared with E! News, Leigh wrote: “The last 48 hours have been devastating. I never thought I’d use the term ‘had or was’ but here we are. And I hate it.”
She gushed: “Eric had a heart of gold. His humor and especially his laugh were infectious. He was a very intelligent man who could hold a philosophical conversation for hours, even while we were on set.”
“He was a great father and loved his girls VERY much,” Leigh said, referring to Dane’s girls, 15-year-old Billie Beatrice and 14-year-old Georgia Geraldine, whom he welcomed with his wife, Rebecca Gayheart.
In addition, The way home star further revealed that he was extremely “passionate about his work” and reflected on “the causes he held close to his heart,” especially his efforts to raise awareness of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
“The universe undoubtedly holds Eric now, just as it will forever hold Eric in my heart,” Leigh concluded.
