Eric Dane’s Posthumous Memoir Details One of the Scariest Moments of His ALS Battle, Where His Daughter Came to His Rescue

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Eric Dane

Eric Dane opened up about one of the scariest moments during his ALS battle in his posthumous memoir, in which he credits his beloved daughter with saving his life.

In an exclusive excerpt from “My Book of Days: A Memoir of Moments,” published by PEOPLE, Dane recalled being on vacation in Antigua with his family in 2024 when he struggled in the water. His daughter, Georgia, and one of her friends had to help him once he realized he couldn’t swim. It served as a change for Dane, who had to deal with ALS having changed him and limiting what he could do.

He called Rebecca Gayheart first after the incident occurred.

“What happened?” she asked, to which he replied. ““I can’t swim, Rebecca… I can’t swim.”

“She explodes into tears and I weep with her. We cry together,” the memoir reads. “Finally, the tears slow, become reduced to gasps, and when we’re both cried out, Rebecca says, ‘I was afraid of this day. I knew it would come. I’ve been dreading it.'”

Dane tragically passed away in February 2026 at the age of 53 after publicly revealing his ALS diagnosis in April 2025. The popular actor is best known for his roles as Dr. Mark Sloan on “Grey’s Anatomy” and Cal Jacobs on “Euphoria.” His memoir will be released nine months after his passing, on November 3, 2026.

Eric Dane Recalls His 1st Symptoms of ALS Battle

Also in the excerpt published by People on Sunday, October 18, Dane remembered one of the first times he felt the symptoms of the disease.

“I’m eating sushi with my kids and suddenly I can’t work the chopsticks with my right hand. My hand tingles, and then my fingers feel numb,” Dane wrote. “Some kind of weird nerve thing, I think. I shake it off. I’m probably texting too much. Three weeks later, it happens again, only worse. I can’t grip the chopsticks at all.”

He also highlighted how important Gayheart was to him during this difficult time.

“We were married for 14 years, grew apart, filed for divorce, but never got around to signing the papers,” he explained. “We’ve since stayed close, coparenting, going on vacations as a family, spending time together and now we talk every day. I say to Rebecca on the phone, ‘It’s what we feared.’ I don’t remember a single word I said after that.”

“I remember only feeling a violent impact, like getting the wind knocked out of me, and Rebecca wailing on the other end of the phone, and then I really lose it, and my sobs make my body shudder, and I hear her words pouring out amid her tears, ‘I’m here, we’ll fight this together, I’m not going anywhere,’” he continued.

How Rebecca Gayheart Paid Tribute To Eric Dane After His Passing

Following the passing of her husband, with whom she shared two daughters, Gayheart paid tribute to Dane.

“I’ve seen you in my dreams so many nights since you left us,” Gayheart shared on her Instagram Story over a photo of Dane on Tuesday, March 31.

“Of all the friends who passed, this have never happened before,” she continued. “Sometimes I ask what you’re doing here, as I’m aware you’re no longer with us. Others, I think I must have been mistaken, and celebrate the moment I get with you. And the last time, I became aware I was dreaming and tried my best not to wake up, as you wondered why I was sad. I love you dearly and miss you deeply.”