Katherine Heigl publicly paid tribute to Eric Dane following his ALS-related death
Dane died at age 53 after a year-long battle with the disease
Heigl expressed discomfort with public grieving but felt compelled to share her memories
Dane was best known for playing Dr. Mark Sloan on Grey's Anatomy
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Katherine Heigl, who portrayed Dr. Izzie Stevens on Grey's Anatomy for six seasons, paid tribute to her late co-star Eric Dane on Sunday following his death at age 53 on Thursday after a year-long battle with ALS, sharing her gratitude for having 'gotten to bask in' Dane's 'gold' before his passing. In an emotional Instagram post, Heigl expressed her discomfort with public grieving, stating 'I debated this post for days. I have never been comfortable grieving publicly,' before explaining her decision to share her memories. The actress revealed she typically shares her tears and stories only with those closest to her or 'with the heavens alone,' but felt compelled to speak out to avoid appearing uncaring. Dane, who played Dr. Mark Sloan on the popular ABC medical drama from 2006 to 2012, died following his ALS diagnosis, which he had publicly shared with fans just last year. Beyond Grey's Anatomy, Dane appeared in films like 'Burlesque' and TV series including 'Euphoria,' leaving a significant mark on the entertainment industry before his untimely death.
🏷️ Themes
Celebrity Tributes, Health Struggles, Television Legacy
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease (MND) or Lou Gehrig's disease, is a rare, terminal neurodegenerative disease defined by the progressive loss of both upper and lower motor neurons that normally control voluntary muscle contraction. ALS is the most common of the...
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Eric William Dane (November 9, 1972 – February 19, 2026) was an American actor. After multiple television roles in the 1990s and 2000s, which included his recurring role as Jason Dean in Charmed, Dane was cast as Dr. Mark Sloan on the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy...
Katherine Heigl ( HY-gəl; born November 24, 1978) is an American actress and model. She portrayed Dr. Izzie Stevens on the ABC television medical drama Grey's Anatomy from 2005 to 2010, a role that brought her recognition and accolades, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting A...
As the Grey’s Anatomy family mourns the death of Eric Dane , Katherine Heigl has paid tribute to the late actor in a statement. On Sunday, the actress who played Dr. Izzie Stevens on the ABC medical drama for six seasons said she was “grateful I got to bask in” Dane’s gold before he died at age 53 on Thursday, following a year-long struggle with ALS. “I debated this post for days. I have never been comfortable grieving publicly,” she started in the Instagram caption. “I share my tears, my stories and my memories with those I’m closest to and more times than not I share them only with the heavens alone. But that silence can often look like a lack of care which I could not abide here. Related Stories News Eric Dane Dies After ALS Diagnosis: ‘Euphoria’ & ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Star Was 53
