Eric Dane’s heartbreaking final released on Netflix hours after his death
Netflix has surprise released an interview with Grey’s Anatomy star Eric Dane that the star made them promise to release after his death.
The late Eric Dane recorded his final heartbreaking words to his two teen daughters shortly before his death, telling them “I tried”.
This morning Netflix premiered a deeply personal instalment of its Famous Last Words documentary series featuring actor Eric Dane’s last ever interview, recorded in November only two months before his tragic death from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
“I think when the lights go out, it’s over,” he said in the interview, which is streaming now. available. “I do believe that once we go to sleep or however it is we — we go, once we’re gone, we’re gone.”
Eric Dane’s posthumous interview.
The Grey’s Anatomy actor then turned to face the camera, and issued his tragic final statement to his beloved daughters, one which they witnessed at the same time as the rest of the world.
“Billie and Georgia, these words are for you,” Dane began.
“I tried. I stumbled sometimes, but I tried. Overall, we had a blast, didn’t we? I remember all the times we spent at the beach. The two of you, me and mum in Malibu, Santa Monica…” Dane continued before pausing to hold back tears, “…Hawaii, Mexico. I see you now playing in the ocean for hours, my water babies. Those days, pun intended, were heaven.”
Dane shared a heartbreaking final message to his two beloved daughters. Picture: Netflix.
Remaining defiant until the very end, Dane demonstrated an incredibly spirit for life, saying: “This disease is slowly taking my body, but it will never take my spirit. Fight until your last breath. Billie and Georgia, you are my heart. You are my everything… I love you. Those are my last words.”
Dane then left his daughters with four things he learned from living with ALS: Live now; “fall in love, not necessarily with someone but something; choose your friends wisely; and fight, with every ounce of your being and with dignity.”
Dane showed incredibly bravery and even managed to laugh and joke during the interview. Picture: Netflix.
“When faced with challenges. live now, right now, in the present,” Dane said.
“It’s hard, but I learned to do that. For years, I would wander off mentally, lost in my head for long chunks of time, wallowing in worry and self-pity, shame and doubt. I replayed decisions, second-guessed myself. No more. Out of pure survival, I am forced to stay in the present, but I don’t want to be anywhere else. The past contains regrets. The future remains unknown. So you have to live now. The present is all you have. Treasure it. Cherish every moment.”
The beloved Hollywood star’s family confirmed his death publicly on Thursday at age 53 following a tragically short 10-month public battle with ALS.
They said he spent his final days surrounded by loved ones.
His former co-star, Patrick Dempsey, shared several details about Eric Dane‘s final days before his tragic ALS death.
During a Friday appearance on Virgin Radio UK’s The Chris Evans Breakfast Show, Dempsey said, “I just woke up this morning and I was very sad to read the news.”
Dane was one of the most beloved Hollywood heart-throbs and was known for his wildly good looks and effortless charisma. Picture: Getty.
Dane with his wife, Janell Shirtcliff. Picture: Getty.
“I was corresponding with him, we were texting so I spoke to him about a week ago and some friends of ours went in to see him and he was really starting to lose his ability to speak.
“He was bedridden and it was very hard for him to swallow, so the quality of his life was deteriorating so rapidly.”
Billie Beatrice Dane and Georgia Geraldine Dane with their late father. Picture: Getty.
Dempsey, 60, went on to remember Dane as the “funniest man” and “such a joy to work with.”
“I just want to remember him in that spirit because any time he was on [the Grey’s Anatomy] set, he brought so much fun to it,” he noted before adding that they “got along instantly.”
Dempsey also praised the Euphoria actor for bringing awareness to ALS (Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s disease) “in those remaining days.”
“He did an incredible job at bringing awareness to this horrible disease and those remaining days and it just reminds us that we all have to celebrate every day like it’s our last day,” the actor said.
“It’s something that we have to remember and certainly in a world where there is just so much crisis and there is so much tragedy that we really need to be grateful for every moment that we have … spend time with our families, do things that are better, that benefit of other people to be of service to be kind, to be loving.”
Dane is survived by his two beloved children and wife, actress Rebecca Gayheart, who postponed their separation to remain by his side through his illness.
