Eric Dane Reveals Daughter Saved Him From Drowning at Height of Late Star's ALS Battle in Posthumous Memoir
Eric Dane's youngest daughter, Georgia, saved him from drowning while he was battling ALS.
Oct. 19 2026, Published 1:20 p.m. ET
Eric Dane was rescued from drowning by his youngest daughter at the height of his ALS battle, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The late actor described the moment he nearly perished in the sea in his posthumous memoir, titled My Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments, released eight months after his death.
'I Was Afraid of This Day, I Was Dreading It'
Dane revealed estranged wife Rebecca Gayheart's reaction to a near-fatal swim.
Dane and his family were vacationing in Antigua following his Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) diagnosis in 2025 when he found himself unable to swim.
His first call after he was saved by his daughter, Georgina, and her friend was to his estranged wife, Rebecca Gayheart.
He wrote: "Georgia hands me my phone. 'I can’t swim, Rebecca,' I say. 'I can't swim.'"
"She explodes into tears, and I weep with her. We cry together. Finally, the tears slow, become reduced to gasps, and when we're both cried out, Rebecca says, 'I was afraid of this day. I knew it would come. I’ve been dreading it.'" Dane noted in his memoir.
Eric Dane Recalled Terrifying Moment
Dane, here with daughters Billie and Georgia, says ALS robbed him of strength to swim.
The Grey's Anatomy star, who shared Georgia, 14, and his eldest child, Billie Beatrice, 16, with his estranged wife, spoke of the terrifying ordeal on Good Morning America in June 2025.
He said: "When I jumped into the ocean that day and realized I couldn’t swim and generate enough power to get myself back to the boat. I thought, 'Oh God.'"
"And I realized in that moment I’m not safe in the water anymore. She (Georgia) dragged me back to the boat," Dane said, adding he was breaking down in tears, but ensured she went back to snorkeling and having fun with her friend.
Dane wed Gayheart in 2004 in Las Vegas before she filed for divorce in February 2018. They never finalized the split and stayed close amid his illness.
Years of H-llraising May Have Shortened Life
The actor died just one year after diagnosis.
The life expectancy post-diagnosis is roughly three to five years, but tragically Dane managed just one.
The actor's friends and family had feared years of h-llraising may have played a part in his cruel and rapid decline.
A pal told a publication, "When Eric was using and abusing, he often never realized the impact it was having on his life and career until it was too late. Which is the common story, but thankfully he finally realized what he was doing to his life, his career and personal life."
"It wasn't without its struggles as he relapsed and also dealt with depression and a few other things," the friend noted. "But the real sad part of everything was once he was now getting back on track; that is when he was diagnosed with ALS. Just another complete gut punch."
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Dane and Rebecca Gayheart never officially separated and remained close during his illness.
Dane was always open about his wild living, which started at school, using marijuana and other drugs. He got sober at 26, and seven years later, in 2006, he landed the role of Dr. Mark Sloan, aka "McSteamy," in Grey's Anatomy.
In 2007, he relapsed, and in 2011 he became addicted to painkillers, which were prescribed for a sports injury.
He admitted in 2024 that his drug use on Grey's Anatomy meant "things started going sideways for me," and his character was killed off by producer Shonda Rhimes in 2012.
Dane could do nothing but accept the decision, stating later: "I wasn't the same guy they had hired, so I understood when I was let go."
