Eric Dane recorded his heartbreaking last words to his two teenage daughters, Billie and Georgia, before he died.
“Billy and Georgia, these words are dedicated to you,” the “Grey’s Anatomy” actor began on the Netflix series “Famous Last Words,” which premiered Friday, just hours after his death was announced.
“I tried. Sometimes I stumbled, but I tried. Overall it was a lot of fun, you know?”
“I remember all the times we spent at the beach, you two, me and your mom, Malibu, Santa Monica, Hawaii, Mexico. I see you guys playing in the ocean for hours now, my water babies,” Dane continued.
“Those days were heaven for jokes,” he added.
Dane shares 15-year-old Billy and 14-year-old Georgia with wife Rebecca Gayheart. The former couple separated in 2017 after 13 years of marriage, but Gayheart withdrew her divorce filing in March 2025, just before the “Euphoria” star announced his ALS diagnosis.
Dane went on to list four things he learned from his battle with debilitating ALS that he hopes his children will keep in mind after his death.
“I hope you don’t just listen to me, you listen to me,” he began. “First of all, live in the moment. It’s difficult, but I’ve learned to do it.”
“For years, I spent long periods of time mentally wandering, sinking into worry and self-pity, shame and doubt,” the “Charmed” alum continued. “I made decisions and second-guessed myself: ‘I should have done this. I should never have done that.’ No more.”
Dane spoke to Billy and Georgia about “falling in love” after asking them to “cherish the moment” and “cherish every moment.”
“Not necessarily with the other person, but I would recommend that as well,” he clarified. “But fall in love with something. Find your passion, your joy. Find what makes you want to wake up in the morning. That’s what drives you throughout the day.”
The late star told her daughters that she fell in love with acting when she was their age, and said she still loved her job despite her diagnosis.
“My work doesn’t define me, but it excites me,” he said. “Find something. Find your path. Find your purpose. Find your dream. And go for it. Really try your best.”
Dane then reminded her daughters to choose their friends wisely.
“Find your people, let them find you, and give yourself to them,” he suggested. “The best of them will reward you. There will be no judgment. There will be no conditions. There will be no questions asked.”
Dane acknowledged that he was “so grateful” to his family and friends, recalling how “everyone” tried to help him during his battle with ALS.
“I can’t even do the little things I used to be able to do anymore. I can’t drive around town, go to the gym, get coffee, hang out,” he said. “I’ve learned to accept alternatives. Friends come to me.”
“They just show up. That’s a big thing. They just show up,” Dane added. “And love your friends with all you have. Follow them closely. They will entertain you, guide you, support you. And some will save you.”
Dane’s final lesson to his daughters in his last heartbreaking words was to “fight with dignity and with everything in your being.”
He also reminded them to “never give up” and always “fight until your last breath” when faced with difficulties.
“This disease slowly eats away at my body, but it never eats away at my spirit,” he declared.
After sharing four lessons he wants Billy and Georgia to remember after he’s gone, Dane goes on to share two more things he wants to leave behind: his strength and resilience.
“You two are two different people,” the “Private Practice” graduate said. “But you’re both strong and resilient. You inherited your resilience from me.”
“That’s my superpower,” he continued. “I bounce right back and I keep coming back. I get back up again and again and again. So when something unexpected hits you, and that’s life, even if it feels insurmountable or seems insurmountable, you take it and face it with honesty, integrity, and grace.”
Dane ended his final message to Billy and Georgia by telling them they “can face anything” before saying goodbye to his daughters one last time.
“You can meet the end of your life. You can face hell with dignity,” he declared. “Fight the girls and hold your heart out.”
“Billy and Georgia, you are my heart. You are my everything. Goodnight. I love you,” a tearful Dane concluded. “Those are my last words.”
Netflix released Dane’s emotional final interview just hours after the “Brilliant Minds” guest star’s loved ones announced his death on Thursday. He was 53 years old.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share that Eric Dane passed away on Thursday afternoon after a courageous battle with ALS,” Dane’s family wrote in a touching statement to People magazine.
“He spent his final days surrounded by his beloved friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia. They were the center of his world,” his loved ones added.
The beloved actor’s family went on to note how, during Dane’s battle with ALS, he became “determined to make a difference to others facing the same battle” and became a “passionate advocate for awareness and research.”
“He will be greatly missed and will always be remembered with fondness,” they concluded. “Eric loves his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he has received. His family requests privacy as they work through this impossible time.”
Following the news of Dane’s sad passing, many of his former co-stars, including several from Grey’s Anatomy, paid tribute.
