Eric Dane has reportedly discovered love once more as he battles ALS

Eric Dane stated this week that his estranged spouse, Rebecca Gayheart, stays his “biggest champion” amid his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often known as Lou Gehrig’s illness.

However the San Francisco-born “Grey’s Anatomy” alum additionally has discovered one other essential supply of assist as he more and more offers with the signs of this deadly and progressive neurodegenerative situation: Photographer and director Janell Shirtcliff, his on-again, off-again girlfriend, in line with Leisure Tonight.

“The two have been in an on-and-off relationship for over three years and care deeply for each other,” a supply informed Leisure Tonight. “Eric asked Janell to be there for him during this time, and she wanted to show up for him.”⁠⁠

Janell Shirtcliff attends The Hollywood Reporter’s 4th Annual Nominees Night time at Spago on February 8, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. 

The “Euphoria” star first opened up about his prognosis with ALS in April. Shortly earlier than Dane’s announcement, Gayheart, his spouse of greater than 20 years, filed to dismiss her 2018 divorce petition which she had but to finalize. She withdrew the petition due to “everything going on with his health,” a supply informed ET on the time. She and Dane are the dad and mom of two daughters, 15 and 13.

Throughout an interview with Good Morning America Monday, the 52-year-old actor stated he and Gayheart have “become better friends and better parents” in current months and that she’s his “biggest champion” as he navigates his well being challenges.⁠⁠The identical, it appears, goes for Shirtcliff, in line with Leisure Tonight.⁠“They’re extremely close and mean a great deal to one another,” the outlet reported. On Tuesday, Dane and Shirtcliff have been noticed on a date night time on the famed Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles. The day gone by, the supply informed ET that the 2 “had a beautiful day together full of laughs, lightness, and love.”⁠⁠“Eric has been in such great spirits and is handling everything with such strength,” the supply stated. “He’s a true warrior.”⁠

Throughout his two-part interview with Good Morning America’s Diane Sawyer this week, Dane revealed that his signs started greater than a 12 months in the past, when he skilled weak point in his proper hand. The weak point received worse, and he noticed two hand specialists after which a few neurologists earlier than he obtained his ALS prognosis.

“I’ll never forget those three letters,” he informed Sawyer of the prognosis.

These with ALS sometimes have a life expectancy of three to 5 years after the primary signs seem, in line with the ALS Remedy Growth Institute. It causes muscle paralysis, with sufferers shedding their potential to talk, eat, stroll and breathe independently. There’s at the moment no efficient treatment or therapy to cease the illness’s development.

Nonetheless, Dane, who turned well-known enjoying good-looking, strapping Dr. Mark Sloan on “Grey’s Anatomy,” additionally revealed that he’s already misplaced using his proper arm and will quickly lose using his left. “There’s so much about it that’s out of my control,” acknowledged Dane.

Initially Printed: June 18, 2025 at 4:16 PM PDT