Patrick Dempsey Shares Update on Grey’s Anatomy Costar Eric Dane’s ALS Battle
Eric Dane’s Grey’s Anatomy costar Patrick Dempsey shared that he has kept in touch with the Euphoria actor amid his battle with Lou Gehrig’s disease, explaining that it’s “very hard for him.”
Dr. Shepherd has been paging Dr. Sloan.
After all, Grey’s Anatomy alum Patrick Dempsey has “been texting” with his former costar Eric Dane amid the latter’s ongoing battle with ALS, which he revealed in April, with Patrick recently giving an update on his friend’s condition.
“I spoke to him a few weeks ago,” Patrick told Parade in an interview published Jan. 28, explaining he tried to get Eric to guest star on his new TV show Memory of a Killer. “Unfortunately, the progression of his disease made it virtually impossible. But I was happy to see that he was here in Toronto working on, I think, another medical drama [Brilliant Minds].”
The 60-year-old added, “It’s very hard for him, but I do try to stay in touch and see how he’s doing.”
Although Eric has been dealing with the physical limitaions of ALS, which prompted him to miss a Jan. 24 event honoring his advocacy, Patrick emphasized the Euphoria actor’s bravery amid the neurodegenerative condition, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
“He’s been incredibly courageous in the face of this horrible disease,” the Sweet Home Alabama actor continued. “He’s such a wonderful human being. He has such a great sense of humor, and he’s so intelligent. I’ve always enjoyed working and being around Eric.”
Noting Eric’s relationships with his ex Rebecca Gayheart and their daughters Billie, 15, and Georgia, 14, Patrick added, “It’s heartbreaking. It really is. For him and for his family. You feel for them when you see this terrible disease and how quickly it attacks the body. But he’s bringing a lot of light to that, and he’s using his platform in a positive way.”
Jason Mendez/Getty Images; Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Prime Video