Eric Dane about ALS disease: Right arm has become “completely useless”

Actor Eric Dane (52), known from series such as “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Euphoria”, talked relentlessly about his ALS illness with “Good Morning America” ​​presenter Diane Sawyer (79). The star, who had made the stroke of fate in early April this year, revealed that his right half of the body was already massively affected.

“My left side works, but my right side has completely stopped working,” says the actor. However, he also has to find first symptoms on his upper left half of the body: “I have the feeling that I will no longer have my left hand in a few months.” This idea is extremely oppressive for him and increases the concern that his legs could soon be affected.

From the first signs to shock diagnosis, around a year and a half have passed. According to Dane, it started when he felt a loss of strength in his right hand, which he initially did not take seriously: “I thought I might have texted too much or my hand was tired, but a few weeks later I noticed that it got a little worse.”

He was then sent by “specialist to specialist” and “neurologist to neurologist”, but only after nine months of tests and investigations caused the diagnosis. “I will never forget these three letters. You are with me immediately after waking up. It’s not a dream.”

When asked by Sawyer, to whom he turns to the greatest despair, Dane gives the name of his wife Rebecca Gayheart (53) and has to fight tears immediately. “We have succeeded in becoming better friends and better parents. She is my biggest support and my most reliable helper.”

Of course, his thoughts always revolve around the two daughters together, both of whom are in teenage age. Dane lost his father through suicide when he was only seven years old – “and now there is a very high chance that I will be separated from my girls if they are still very young”. Every day he uses to tell them how much he loves them. “You are loved, you know.”