Eric Dane hoped to fight his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with “dignity and grace.”
The actor, known for his “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Euphoria” roles, died at 53 on Feb. 19, 2026, 10 months after revealing his ALS diagnosis.
Before his death, Dane chronicled his final advocacy efforts in the upcoming I AM ALS documentary short titled “Ring Every Bell” to remind those diagnosed with ALS to “keep going.”
In TODAY.com’s exclusive clip, Dane got candid while reflecting on his battle with ALS and sharing how he hoped to stay positive for those around him.
“It’s a hard thing to live with and it’s a hard thing for the…” Dane said, getting visibly emotional. “It’s a hard thing for the people around me.”
Dane added that those closest to him can’t always help and “they feel helpless.”
“And this is all new to me, this is uncharted territory,” he continued, adding that he was learning about living with ALS as his symptoms progressed. “I’m just trying to, like, walk through this thing with as much grace and dignity as I can so I can show my kids, this is how you do this.”
Dane shared daughters Billie, 16, and Georgia, 14, with wife Rebecca Gayheart. The actor hoped to maintain his optimism so they could better handle life’s unfortunate events long after he was gone.
In the clip, the actor noted that there is a grieving process to his diagnosis but stressed that “it’s also important not to indulge in it.”
Because, he added, at the end of the day, “You just got to keep moving forward.”
The documentary short’s title, “Ring Every Bell,” was chosen because it was a recurring phrase Dane “used to capture the spirit and urgency of his advocacy throughout his ALS journey,” a press release from I AM ALS, a nonprofit organization, said.
Before his death, Dane was able to watch a preliminary cut of “Ring Every Bell” and “was visibly moved and encouraged the team with a simple message: ‘Keep going,’” the organization shared.
He also made it his mission to raise awareness for ALS, partnering with the nonprofit’s Push For Progress initiative and securing $1 billion in federal funding for ALS over the next three years.
“Ring Every Bell,” produced by the nonprofit and filmmaker Christopher Burke, will be released on Monday, May 18, on I AM ALS’ website, YouTube channel and other social channels.
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