Eric Dane has opened up for the first time about his ALS diagnosis in a deeply emotional interview with Diane Sawyer.
In a preview clip shared on June 12 for an upcoming Good Morning America segment, the Euphoria actor speaks candidly about living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – the progressive, incurable disease more commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease.
“I wake up every day and I’m immediately reminded that this is happening,” Dane, 52, tells Sawyer in the teaser. “It’s not a dream.”
The brief clip shows the two sitting closely, holding hands during what promises to be a moving and vulnerable conversation. At one point, Dane becomes visibly emotional as he reflects on what the future might hold.
“I don’t think this is the end of my story,” he says. “I don’t feel like this is the end of me.”
Dane first shared his diagnosis with PEOPLE back in April, explaining: “I have been diagnosed with ALS. I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter.”
He also asked for privacy for his family, which includes his ex-wife, actress Rebecca Gayheart, and their two daughters; Billie Beatrice, 15, and Georgia Geraldine, 13.
ALS is a rare neurodegenerative condition that gradually affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to muscle weakness, paralysis, and eventually loss of the ability to speak, move, and breathe.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the disease typically begins with mild symptoms like twitching or limb weakness before progressing quickly.
There is currently no cure, and the average life expectancy after diagnosis is three to five years, though some people can live much longer, per the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
The full interview will air on Monday, and it marks a major moment of public vulnerability from Dane, who is best known for his roles on Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria.
His message, though heartbreaking, is also one of resilience, and a reminder that even in the face of a devastating illness, there is still space for hope.