What was meant to be a special night at the Emmy Awards turned into a hospital visit for actor Eric Dane.
The 52-year-old “Grey’s Anatomy” star, who revealed earlier this year that he is battling ALS, said in a new interview that he was hospitalized the night of the Emmys after falling in his kitchen.
“ALS is a nasty disease. … So I was in the hospital during the Emmys getting stitches put in my head,” Dane told The Washington Post.
The actor had been slated to present at the awards ceremony, which took place in September. He and fellow “Grey’s Anatomy” alum Jesse Williams were scheduled to appear together to mark the show’s 20th anniversary, but Williams ended up presenting the award for outstanding directing for a drama series alone.
“I missed an opportunity I was really looking forward to. It would have been great to see Jesse and get reunited with some of my peers, and to be able to present in front of my colleagues I thought would have been a special moment,” Dane said.
“I was really upset about it, but you know, there was nothing I could do about it,” he added.
Dane announced in April 2025 that he was battling ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
ALS is a neurodegenerative disease affecting motor neurons — the nerve cells in the brain, brainstem and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
As the actor continues to battle the disease, his wife, actress Rebecca Gayheart, recently shared how their family is coping.
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In an interview with People, Gayheart, 54, spoke about the emotional toll on her and the couple’s daughters — Billie, 15 and Georgia, 13.
“We have some professional therapists who are helping us, and we’re just trying to have some hope and do it with dignity, grace and love,” the “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” star shared.
“I mean, it’s heartbreaking. My girls are really suffering, and we’re just trying to get through it. It’s a tough time,” Gayheart said.
Dane originally broke the news of his ALS diagnosis in an emotional statement to People.
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“I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter,” he said. “I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.”
The “Euphoria” actor’s announcement came after Gayheart filed to dismiss her 2018 divorce petition in March 2025 — one month before he went public with his diagnosis.
The couple, who wedded in 2004 after a year of dating, had previously split over “irreconcilable differences.”
During her recent interview with People, Gayheart admitted she has struggled to stay positive amid Dane’s health challenges.
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“I don’t think I’m at a place yet where I can pull out a positive nugget. I’m not there yet,” she said.
Gayheart continued, “I mean, we’re definitely dealing with something that has brought us all together, and Eric will always be my family, whether we’re married or not, or living in the same house or not, but yeah, we are closer, but we don’t like the reason why.”
Dane starred as Dr. Mark Sloan — nicknamed “McSteamy” — on “Grey’s Anatomy” from 2006 to 2012.
