In April 2025, actor Eric Dane announced that he had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is a nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord and eventually leads to loss of muscle control.
The New York Post reports that since his diagnosis, Dane has started using a wheelchair full time, and he only has the use of one arm. He has also made it his mission to be open about his journey with ALS in order to bring awareness and help others.
Dane previously told I Am ALS, “I’m not about to concede my purpose to some disease. I just am not capable of doing that.” He added, “I think it’s imperative that I share my journey with as many people as I can because I don’t feel like my life is about me anymore.”
Unfortunately, due to the realities of the day to day struggle with ALS, Dane has had to miss some important events he would’ve loved to attend, including the 2025 Emmy Awards ceremony where he was set to present an award. Then, on January 24th, he was unable to attend the ALS Network’s Champions for Cures and Care Gala where he was supposed to accept an award the Advocate of the Year Award.
In a statement shared with The Hollywood Reporter, the ALS Network explained, “The ALS Network has been informed that Eric Dane had hoped to join us this evening to accept his Advocate of the Year Award, but due to the physical realities of ALS, he is not well enough to attend.” The organization added, “We remain deeply grateful for his courage, advocacy and continued commitment to the ALS community, and we honor him fully this evening with our profound respect and support. Aaron Lazar, Broadway star and Grammy Award nominee, will accept the award on his behalf.”
Dane found out that he would be accepting the award back in September, and he said at the time, “This award is more than an honor — it’s a reflection of the incredible strength and courage I see in the ALS community every day.”
Watch the video below to learn more about Dane’s health battle and the event he was unable to attend.
