Patrick Dempsey pays emotional tribute to friend and co-star Eric Dane: ‘It’s hard to put into words’
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Patrick Dempsey pays emotional tribute to friend and co-star Eric Dane: ‘It’s hard to put into words’")
Patrick Dempsey and Eric Dane Photograph: (X)
Patrick Dempsey opened up about his instant bond with Eric Dane on the sets of Grey's Anatomy. The actor paid a warm tribute to Dane a day after his tragic death after a brave battle with ALS.
The Grey’s Anatomy family is mourning the loss of fellow actor Eric Dane who passed away on Thursday after a battle with ALS. Tributes poured in from all quarters for Dane who played Dr Mark Sloan in the medican drama.
The news shook Patrick Dempsey, who played McDreamy to Dane's McSteamy on ABC's long-running hospital drama.
Dempsey revealed on Friday that he had spoken to Dane a week ago via text messages.
“I just woke up this morning, and I was very sad to read the news,” Dempsey said during a Friday appearance on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show. “It’s hard to put into words. I feel really so sad for his children. I was corresponding with him, we were texting. So I spoke to him about a week ago.”
Dempsey's Dr Derek Shepherd and Dane's Dr Mark Sloan began as rivals on the screen who eventually became best friends in the show.
Patrick recalled Dane’s sense of humour and said, “He had a great sense of humor. He was easy to work with, we got along instantly. First scene was him, you know, in all his glory, coming out of the bathroom with the towel on looking amazing, making you feel completely out of shape and insignificant.”
Dempsey also revealed that Dane had lost the ability to swallow in his final days.
“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. The quality of his life was deteriorating so rapidly.”
Meanwhile, Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes also paid tribute on Instagram.
Trending Stories
)
)
)
)
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
“Eric Dane was a beloved member of the Shondaland and Grey’s Anatomy families. He was truly a gifted actor whose portrayal of Dr. Mark Sloan left an indelible mark on the series and on audiences around the world.
"Rest in peace, buddy," wrote Grey's Anatomy costar Kevin McKidd on his Instagram story.
Eric Dane was 53 at the time of his death. In April 2025, he revealed his ALS diagnosis in 2025 and had shared details of his decline over the past several months.
He managed to wrap shooting on Season 3 of HBO's Euphoria, which premieres in April 2026, as well as an installment of Netflix's Famous Last Words, before he was completely incapacitated.
