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Who is Rebecca Gayheart? Meet Eric Dane's wife who shelved their divorce to look after him amid ALS battle
Eric Dane is receiving 24/7 care for ALS, with his estranged wife Rebecca Gayheart overseeing his medical needs.
Eric Dane is currently under continuous care after being diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), confirmed his estranged wife Rebecca Gayheart.
The 53-year-old actor, who revealed in April that he is battling the incurable neurodegenerative condition, has been legally married to Gayheart since 2004.
However, Gayheart initiated divorce proceedings in 2018 but subsequently withdrew the petition in March, opting to maintain their family unit as Dane’s health issues worsened. The couple has two daughters.
‘Eric has 24/7 nurses now’: What is ALS?
In a first-person essay for The Cut, Gayheart detailed the extensive level of care now necessary. “Eric has 24/7 nurses now,” she stated.
Earlier this year, Dane first disclosed his diagnosis to People. ALS, commonly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a degenerative condition that impacts motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord, progressively depriving patients of their ability to move, speak, eat, and breathe independently.
While treatments can decelerate the progression, no cure exists for the disease.
Gayheart mentioned that she has assumed primary responsibility for overseeing the Euphoria star’s medical care, characterizing the experience as unyielding.
Reflecting on her arduous struggle with the insurance company to secure approval for full-time care, she recounted: “With the nurses, the woman from his insurance said to me, ‘You can keep applying, and I’ll keep denying,’ I was like, Oh? F that.
“I made it my mission. I was ‘locked in,’ as the kids would say. I crashed out, and then I locked it in. And we got it approved after two appeals.”
Stressing that navigating the health-care system is a challenge task, she said “the health-insurance company will deny you what you’re asking for and you have to appeal and then you have to apply again.”
Who is Rebecca Gayheart?
Rebecca Gayheart initially gained public recognition as the renowned “Noxzema Girl” during the early 1990s, subsequently moving on to a prosperous career in both film and television. Her prominent roles encompass Urban Legend, Jawbreaker, Scream 2, Beverly Hills, 90210, and Nip/Tuck, along with a notable appearance in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. In addition to her work in film and television, Gayheart has also made significant contributions to theatre, establishing herself as a versatile and esteemed performer.
In 2004, Gayheart entered into marriage with Eric Dane, and they are the parents of two daughters, Billie Beatrice and Georgia Geraldine. Although their marriage endured for many years, it encountered challenges over time, ultimately prompting Gayheart to initiate divorce proceedings in 2018. Despite having lived apart for eight years, they never completed the divorce process, a choice that Gayheart reconsidered in 2025 after Dane publicly announced his diagnosis of ALS.
