Eric Dane Tearfully Describes Living With ALS During ‘GMA' Interview, Says 'Very Good Chance' He'll Be 'Taken From My Girls While They're Very Young'
Eric Dane, appearing on today's Good Morning America, said in a taped interview with Diane Sawyer that due to ALS he no longer has use of his right arm and that he expects to lose use of his left hand.
'It's sobering,' the 52-year-old former Grey's Anatomy star said in a voice that occasionally sounded whispery and strained.
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Watch the interview above.
The segment, which ABC previewed last week, is Dane's first major interview about his illness since the Euphoria actor revealed his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis to People magazine in April.
During the GMA interview, Dane emotionally related an incident when he went swimming and suddenly realized he didn't have the strength to continue. A former competitive swimmer, Dane was rescued by his 13-year-old daughter.
Said Dane, 'She dragged me back to the boat. I was just, I was like, heartbroken.'
The actor said, 'I'm angry because my father was taken from me when I was young. And now, you know, there's a very good chance I'm going to be taken from my girls while they're very young.'
Dane has two daughters, ages 13 and 15, with wife and actor Rebecca Gayheart.
Dane also spoke about his friendship with Gayheart (the two are separated) which he says has gotten stronger since his diagnosis. In perhaps the most emotional moment of the interview, Dane said, 'I talk to her every day. We have managed to become better friends and better parents. And she is … probably my biggest champion and my most stalwart supporter. And I lean on her.'
Part 2 of the Dane interview will air on GMA tomorrow. The segment will feature the actor and his physician.
The Mayo Clinic describes ALS as 'a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord,' causing a 'loss of muscle control. The disease gets worse over time.' The average life expectancy after diagnosis is 2-5 years.
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