Actor Eric Dane, who appeared in the medical drama 'Grey's Anatomy,' died after battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and his wife explained the reason she withdrew their divorce filing.
On the 20th (local time), according to foreign outlets including Page Six, the late Eric Dane's wife, Rebecca Gayheart, withdrew the divorce filing after her husband was diagnosed with ALS because she wanted to teach their children "to stay by the family".
Gayheart appeared on a podcast last November to explain her decision, saying that by canceling the divorce she wanted to teach daughters Billy and Georgia "that even in the worst of times you must be there for your family."
She added, "We tell the children, 'No matter what happens, we show up for people. He is our family and your father.'"
As the mother of two, Gayheart said that as she navigated Eric Dane's ALS diagnosis and their relationship, her focus was her daughters' well-being, and that "even if the situation is hard, sad and not good, the children should feel cared for."
The late Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart married in 2004 and had two daughters, but Gayheart filed for divorce in 2018 after 13 years. They canceled the divorce after seven years of separation, and Dane revealed his ALS diagnosis a month later.
In an essay published in The Cut last December, Gayheart described the relationship as "very complicated," admitting she was not sure whether withdrawing the divorce filing was the right decision. She added, "I'm just trying to show up and be there for the kids," and said, "It's a familial love, even if it's not romantic love."
Eric Dane died on the 19th, 10 months after announcing his ALS diagnosis. He was 53.
In a statement sent to People, his family said, "It is with heavy hearts that we announce Eric Dane passed away Thursday afternoon after a brave fight with ALS. During his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight. He will be deeply missed and always remembered with love."
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