Celebrity4 min(s) read
Decision made after Eric Dane's GoFundMe was put 'under review' with funds on hold
A GoFundMe launched to support Eric Dane’s family has officially been cleared after briefly being placed “under review,” with donations temporarily held.
The 53-year-old actor, who is best known for starring as Dr. Mark Sloan on Grey’s Anatomy and Cal Jacobs on the HBO Max teen drama Euphoria, passed away on February 19 after “a courageous battle with ALS,” his family said.
After his death was announced, an unspecified group banded together to create a GoFundMe for the teenage daughters, Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14, whom Dane shared with Rebecca Gayheart.
The original goal was set at $250,000, but was later increased to $500,000 after donations surged, The Independent reported. More than half of the initial goal was raised within hours, and by Monday morning, contributions had surpassed $337,000.
GoFundMe Confirms Fundraiser Is Verified
Questions arose after the donations page was reportedly placed under review, and the funds were put on hold.
GoFundMe has since confirmed that, after a review, the fundraiser “is verified and the family has been added as the beneficiary," per The Independent.
“GoFundMe’s Trust & Safety team was previously working to gather additional information and help ensure the intended beneficiary was added to the fundraiser, as part of our standard review process. Donations were safely held by our payment processors during this review process,” the statement concluded.
The campaign quickly gained traction, including a $27,000 donation from Euphoria creator Sam Levinson.
“I’m heartbroken by the loss of our dear friend Eric. Working with him was an honor. Being his friend was a gift. Eric’s family is in our prayers. May his memory be for a blessing,” the director said in a statement to Variety.
Dane's Final Interview Before Passing
As the fundraiser gained momentum, fans were also reflecting on Dane’s final public words.
The Grey’s Anatomy star, who revealed his diagnosis with the condition in April 2025, recorded his last interview with Netflix as part of the Famous Last Words series.
The interview was released posthumously and included emotional reflections on his relationship with his 54-year-old wife. The pair married in 2004 and welcomed two children before separating in 2018.
"We still love each other deeply," he said in the interview. "I just think we don’t want to live with each other. But there’s a lot of love there...I will never, by the time anybody sees this, have fallen in love with another woman as deeply as I fell in love with Rebecca."
The Bad Boys: Ride or Die star described their first meeting as being "so organic and fortuitous," recalling that Gayheart had been engaged to another man at the time. Dane said he told her friend he was "going to marry that girl."
"No way, she’s never breaking up with her fiancé. They’re getting married. They’ve been together since they were 15," the friend responded, according to him.
"Four years later, I married her," Dane said. "I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life where it’s supposed to happen."
After 14 years of marriage, Gayheart filed for divorce in February 2018. Seven years later, in March 2025, she requested to dismiss the petition.
Following his passing, the Last Ship actor's family shared a statement with PEOPLE: "He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world."
"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," the statement continued. "He will be deeply missed, and lovingly remembered always."
Gayheart also addressed the outpouring of support in a message shared to her Instagram Stories on February 22. She said she’s been "so blown away by the outpouring of love and support from our community" following her husband's passing.
“There aren’t words to express our gratitude,” she wrote alongside a photo of a candlelit memorial honoring the late actor, per the publication. “You are truly holding us up during this difficult time.”
Our thoughts continue to be with Dane's loved ones at this time.