Eric Dane reveals right arm has 'completely stopped working' amid ALS battle
Eric Dane is sharing a "sobering" update on his battle with ALS.
In an interview with Diane Sawyer on "Good Morning America," the "Grey's Anatomy" star, 52, revealed his right arm has stopped functioning after he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
"I have one functioning arm," he said. "My left side is functioning. My right side has completely stopped working."
The actor added that his left arm is also "going," and he estimated he has a "few more months" before "I won't have my left hand either," a fact he called "sobering." Dane also said he's "worried" about his legs, though he is currently not having issues with walking.
Dane played Mark Sloan (a.k.a. "McSteamy") on ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" from 2006 to 2012 and is currently starring as Cal Jacobs on HBO's "Euphoria." He's set to reprise the role of Cal in the upcoming third season of "Euphoria."
Dane first shared his ALS diagnosis in a statement to People magazine in April. He said at the time that he was "grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter," adding, "I feel fortunate that I am able to continue working and am looking forward to returning to set of 'Euphoria' next week."
According to the Mayo Clinic, ALS is a "nervous system disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord" and causes a loss of muscle control. Symptoms of the disease can include difficulty walking, tripping and falling, hand weakness and slurred speech.
Dane told "GMA" that his first symptom was weakness in his right hand, which he initially didn't "think anything" of until it got worse. He received his diagnosis nine months later after seeing multiple hand specialists and neurologists.
Dane also vowed to continue fighting the disease.
"I don't think this is the end of my story," he said. "I just don't feel like, in my heart, that this is the end of me. I'm fighting as much as I can. There's so much about it that's out of my control."
But the "Euphoria" star told Sawyer he is "angry" that "there's a very good chance I'm going to be taken from my girls while they're very young," the same way he lost his dad at age 7. He shares two children, ages 13 and 15, with Rebecca Gayheart,
"At the end of the day," he said, "all I want to do is spend time with my family and work a little bit if I can."