Eric Dane's wife has opened up about why she called off their divorce after the actor was diagnosed with ALS.

The Grey's Anatomy actor, 53, revealed in April 2025 that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

He opened up about life after his diagnosis in a powerful interview with Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America.

He revealed at the time that the first warning sign of his ALS diagnosis was what he initially believed to be ordinary hand fatigue.

“I started experiencing some weakness in my right hand, and I didn't really think anything of it at the time,” he explained.

“I thought maybe I had been texting too much, or my hand was fatigued. But a few weeks later, I noticed it had gotten a little worse."

Dane revealed that the ongoing hand issue led him to seek help from not one, but two hand specialists — who then passed him along to two neurologists. The last one finally told him: “This is way above my pay grade.”

Dane revealed it took nine months of doctor visits and testing to finally be diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a rare and progressive neurological disease that affects a person's ability to move, talk, eat, and breathe.

There is currently no cure for ALS and most patients are expected to live for three to five years after diagnosis, while one in 10 patient live with the condition for 10 years or more.

Dane revealed that in the wake of his diagnosis and his fear that his daughters - 15-year-old Billie Beatrice and 13-year-old Georgia Geraldine - will lose him at a "very young age," he and his estranged wife Rebecca Gayheart, who he married in 2004, have made sure to spend as much time together as a family as they can.

Speaking about Gayheart, he added: "I talk to her every day. We have managed to become better friends and better parents. And she is probably my biggest champion, my most stalwart supporter, and I lean on her."

Dane and Gayheart married in 2004 and welcomed two children together before she filed for divorce in 2018, though the proceedings never moved ahead.

Shortly after his interview went live, Dane was seen stepping out with filmmaker Janell Shirtcliff, posing hand-in-hand on the red carpet at the premiere of his show Countdown.

A source told Entertainment Tonight that the couple had been “in an on-and-off relationship” for more than three years.

In March of this year, a month before Dane went public with his diagnosis, Gayheart requested to dismiss her divorce filing.

She told E! in an interview shortly afterward that she and Dane are still married and “the best of friends.”

"We are really close. We are great coparents. We really figured out the formula to staying a family, and I think our kids are benefiting greatly from it, and we are as well,” she explained at the time.

"I think it’s important to not look at a relationship that ends as a failure. It's just a season. It wasn't a failure. It was a huge success. We were married for, I mean, we are still married, but together for 15 years, and we had two beautiful kids, so I think that's a successful relationship, and that's how we look at it."

She has since revealed that the reason they called off the divorce was to put their daughters first, telling the Broad Ideas podcast: "I am definitely trying to show [my daughters] that we show up for people no matter what.

"And he is our family, he is your father. We show up, and we try to do it with some dignity and some grace and just get through it, and that we will get through it the best we can. I mean, it's super complicated for me."

Gayheart added: "We’ve been separated for eight years. The kids live with me 100 percent of the time. There’s been lots of just stuff, other stuff, but I try to stay optimistic about it all. I’m trying to learn from it and [be a] role model for them [for] how to go through something like this, which is really hard.

"I don’t know if I’m doing it well or if I’m doing it in the wrong way or the right way,” she admitted. “I’m just showing up. I’m showing up, and I’m trying to be there for them. I guess time will tell… They’re good girls who are just going through a lot.”

Gayheart revealed that it was important to her to show her daughters that it is important to be there to support your loved ones in their time of need, adding: "It's all very humbling.

"And I think one piece of this that I hope I'm passing to my kids is the idea that you can show up for someone and be there for them, but you also have to show up for yourself, and that this is life. Life, sadly, is just moments, good and bad, strung together. There's gonna be good ones, there's gonna be bad ones, there's gonna be exciting ones, it's gonna be really sad."

She added: "[My focus is giving them] the opportunity to spend time with [their father] so that they don’t ever look back and go: 'I wish I would have spent some time with my dad.’"

Featured image credit: Gilbert Flores / Getty Images

Former Cincinnati Bengals running back Rudi Johnson has sadly passed away at the age of 45.

A family source confirmed to TMZ Sports that Johnson died on Tuesday in Florida. According to the outlet, the cause of death was suicide.

The report stated that the late star had been recently struggling with mental health issues and feared he was suffering from CTE, the brain disease common in former NFL players.

The family source added that in the time leading up to his death, the late NFL star remained focused on helping others.

"[He] was doing everything he could to help people on and off the field ... and that's what mattered most to him," they said, per the outlet.

Johnson was drafted by the Bengals in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL Draft after a standout career at Auburn University, where he once won SEC Player of the Year honors.

As a 24-year-old, he rushed for 957 yards and nine touchdowns in his first breakout season. Over the next three years, he ran for more than 4,000 yards and scored 36 times, establishing himself as one of the Bengals’ most reliable offensive weapons.

Johnson’s NFL career ultimately came to a close in 2008 following a brief stint with the Detroit Lions.

Beyond his achievements on the field, Johnson dedicated much of his time to giving back.

In 2005, he launched the Rudi Johnson Foundation, which focused on assisting families and communities in various areas. 

Our thoughts are with Johnson's loved ones at this time.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org.

Featured image credit: Getty Images 

Eric Dane has revealed he has been diagnosed with ALS, a life-limiting condition.

Eric Dane has revealed he’s been diagnosed with ALS. Credit: Gilbert Flores / Getty

The 52-year-old actor, best known for his role as Dr. Mark “McSteamy” Sloan on Grey's Anatomy, confirmed his diagnosis in a statement to People this week.

Dane explained: "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 revealed that he will be continuing work playing Cal Jacobs on Euphoria’s long-anticipated third season, which finally resumed filming in January, with his shooting schedule set to start on April 14.

“I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of EUPHORIA next week,” he shared. “I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.”

What is ALS?

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), formerly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a neurological disorder that affects motor neurons, the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement and breathing

ALS, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, formerly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a rare neurodegenerative condition that affects motor neurons, which are the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement and breathing.

The cause of ALS is unknown, although some cases are hereditary.

According to the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes (NINDS), early symptoms of the disease include:

• Muscle twitches in the arm, leg, shoulder, or tongue
• Muscle cramps
• Tight and stiff muscles (spasticity)
• Muscle weakness affecting an arm, a leg, or the neck
• Slurred and nasal speech
• Difficulty chewing or swallowing

The disease is progressive, meaning muscle weakness and atrophy spreads to other parts of the body, and people with ALS often struggle with chewing food and swallowing (dysphagia), drooling (sialorrhea), speaking or forming words (dysarthria), inability to control emotions, and breathing.

Eric with daughters Billie Beatrice and Georgia Geraldine. Credit: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin / Getty

Per the Muscular Dystrophy Association, life expectancy following diagnosis typically ranges from three to five years, though some patients live much longer.

Dane did not disclose when he was diagnosed. He now joins a growing list of well-known figures who have battled the disease, including Stephen Hawking, Roberta Flack, Kenneth Mitchell, Joe Bonsall, Aaron Lazar, Eric Stevens, and John Driskell Hopkins.

Featured image credit: Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images

NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre has revealed that he’s been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

The 54-year-old quarterback shared the sad news while testifying at a congressional hearing on welfare misspending and reform, NBC News reports.

During his testimony before the House Ways and Means Committee, Favre didn’t just address the Mississippi welfare scandal he’s been tied to — he dropped a bombshell about his health.

"Sadly, I also lost an investment in a company that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug," Favre said. "I'm sure you'll understand, while it's too late for me because I've recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's, this is also a cause dear to my heart."

Parkinson’s disease, a movement disorder with no known cure, can cause tremors, stiffness, and difficulty with coordination — symptoms that worsen over time, per the Mayo Clinic.

But Favre’s testimony wasn’t just about his health. He was there to answer tough questions about his involvement in the Mississippi welfare scandal.

Favre, who found himself at the center of the controversy, was accused of misusing funds from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, money meant to support low-income families. Per the New York Post, prosecutors say some of that cash was used for personal projects, like a new volleyball facility at the University of Southern Mississippi — Favre’s alma mater, where his daughter also played volleyball.

While Favre has not been criminally charged, he’s been forced to pay back some of the money after a state auditor discovered he had been paid for speaking engagements he never actually made. On Tuesday, Favre insisted he didn’t know the money came from taxpayers and maintained that he did nothing wrong.

US Rep. Linda Sanchez, a Democrat from California, wasn’t buying Favre's emotional testimony. She called for her Republican colleagues to support reforms to prevent wealthy individuals like Favre from taking advantage of programs meant for the most vulnerable.

Favre, who is already well-known for his record-breaking NFL career, has been open about the long-term damage from his time on the field.

He revealed last year that he’s suffered "thousands" of concussions during his career. “Concussions happen all the time,” Favre said in an interview on The Bubba Army radio show in August 2022. "You get tackled and your head hits the turf, you see flashes of light or ringing in your ears, but you’re able to play... That’s a concussion."

And back in 2018, he opened up on TODAY with Megyn Kelly, admitting that his short-term memory and word retrieval skills had started to deteriorate. "I could go back and call the high school plays I ran... But I find that more short-term memory — someone I met six months ago — in other words, it has gotten a lot worse,” he shared at the time.

Favre’s legacy on the field is undeniable. A Super Bowl champ with the Green Bay Packers, three-time MVP, and record-holder for most consecutive starts in NFL history (299 games, by the way), he’s undoubtedly one of football’s greats. But his latest chapter, battling Parkinson’s while defending himself in court, adds a new and unexpected layer to his story.

Featured image credit: Kevin Dietsch / Getty

Eric Dane has opened up about the subtle signs he experienced before being diagnosed with ALS, which he had initially ignored.

The actor, 52, who is best known for Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria revealed in April 2025 that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

He opened up about life after his diagnosis in a powerful interview with Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America.

What were the first symptoms Eric Dane experienced before being diagnosed with ALS?

Dane revealed that the first warning sign of his ALS diagnosis was what he initially believed to be ordinary hand fatigue.

“I started experiencing some weakness in my right hand, and I didn't really think anything of it at the time,” he explained.

“I thought maybe I had been texting too much, or my hand was fatigued. But a few weeks later, I noticed it had gotten a little worse.”

Dane revealed that the ongoing hand issue led him to seek help from not one, but two hand specialists — who then passed him along to two neurologists. The last one finally told him: “This is way above my pay grade.”

Dane revealed it took nine months of doctor visits and testing to finally be diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a rare and progressive neurological disease that robs the body of its ability to move, talk, eat, and breathe.

Since then, his condition has advanced to the point where only his left arm still works.

“I have one functioning arm. My dominant side. My left side is functioning, my right side has completely stopped working,” he explained.

“I feel like maybe a couple, few more months, and I won't have my left hand either. It's sobering.”

He also revealed that it's likely his left arm will be affected too, as when asked by Sawyer whether it's "fine", Dane responded: "No, it's going."

He added that he's especially scared about losing the use of his legs, after a terrifying incident at sea with his daughter.

The actor recalled a harrowing moment from a recent trip when he jumped into the ocean but realized his body couldn’t carry him back.

“When I jumped in the ocean that day and realized I couldn't swim [or] generate enough power to get myself back to the boat, I thought, 'Oh, God,'” the actor revealed.

“And then I realized in that moment I'm not safe in the water anymore.”

He revealed that the incident put his life into perspective, adding: "I'm angry because my father was taken from me when I was young, and now there's a very good chance I'm going to be taken from my girls while they're very young."

Dane’s father died by suicide when the actor was just seven years old. Now, Dane fears his ALS diagnosis is taking him away from daughters Billie, 15, and Georgia, 13, whom he shares with wife and actress Rebecca Gayheart.

Featured image credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images