Rebecca Gayheart said she never expected Eric Dane to die in February, speaking about the loss in an interview with journalist Maria Shriver on the Today show. The interview aired Tuesday, November 3, less than nine months after the actor’s death at 53.
“I thought Eric would still be here with us right now,” Gayheart said. She recalled learning in 2024 that Dane had ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease. Her first thought, she said, was how difficult the diagnosis would be for their daughters, Billie, 16, and Georgia, 14, and what the family needed to do next.
Gayheart said supporting Dane through his illness felt natural, even though they had been separated for years. The couple married in 2004, and Gayheart filed for divorce in 2018, but their split was never finalized. They continued to co-parent and remained close, she said.
“We created two beautiful daughters,” Gayheart said, explaining that being there for Dane as a family “wasn’t even a question.” She also described how his diagnosis changed his outlook, saying he began to value his life and the time he had in a new way.
Gayheart became tearful as she spoke about the future for her daughters. She said she could not give them their father back, and described his death as a tremendous loss. She hopes they will advocate for their own happiness, joy and mental health, adding that they carry many of Dane’s qualities.
The interview coincided with the release of Dane’s posthumous memoir, My Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments. In the book, he wrote about his enduring bond with Gayheart, saying they remained close after separating and spoke every day. He also thanked her in the acknowledgements.
Maria Shriver said in March that Dane worked on the memoir until near the end of his life. She said he wanted his family to understand how much he loved them and to have a story they could be proud of. The book is available now.
Sources: Us Weekly.