‘Grey’s Anatomy’ star Eric Dane’s cause of death revealed

“Grey’s Anatomy” star Eric Dane‘s cause of death has been released.

The 53-year-old actor, who revealed his battle with ALS in April 2025, died from respiratory failure, with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease – listed as the underlying cause, according to a copy of his death certificate obtained by USA TODAY on March 2.

Dane died in the late afternoon of Feb. 19 at a Los Angeles hospital after days of respiratory failure. His wife of more than 20 years, Rebecca Gayheart, was listed as the public health department’s informant of his death.

People was first to report the news.

Dane’s death fell on the 20th anniversary of his first appearance on “Grey’s.” His representative, Melissa Bank, confirmed the news at the time in a statement to USA TODAY.

“With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS,” Bank said at the time. “He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world.”

The final months of Eric Dane’s ALS battle

The award-winning actor was candid about his life with the neurodegenerative condition, revealing in an October Washington Post interview that he missed a 20th anniversary celebration of “Grey’s Anatomy” at the 2025 Emmy Awards after a fall in his kitchen landed him in the hospital.

“ALS is a nasty disease,” Dane told the outlet, adding that during the awards ceremony, he was “getting stitches put in my head.”

Three weeks before his death, Dane dropped out of an ALS Network gala “due to the physical realities of living with ALS,” the organization said in a Jan. 25 statement to USA TODAY. The actor was to be honored with the Dean and Kathleen Rasmussen Advocate of the Year Award.

“Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research,” Bank’s Feb. 19 statement said. He was “determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight.”

Dane played the cheeky Dr. Mark Sloan, aka “McSteamy,” in the ABC medical drama, and Cal Jacobs, the toxic father to Jacob Elordi‘s Nate Jacobs on HBO’s “Euphoria” since the show’s 2019 debut. He reprises the latter role in the show’s upcoming third season, due April 12.

Dane is survived by Gayheart and their daughters Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Eric Dane’s cause of death revealed after ALS fight