Katherine Heigl is “forever grateful” for the relationship she had with her late “Grey’s Anatomy” costar Eric Dane, the actress wrote on Instagram Sunday. Dane died Thursday at age 53 of complications associated with ALS.
“I debated this post for days. I have never been comfortable grieving publicly. I share my tears, my stories and my memories with those I’m closest to and more times than not I share them only with the heavens alone. But that silence can often look like a lack of care which I could not abide here,” Heigl captioned a photo of herself and Dane.
She continued, “Rebecca, Billie, Georgia… There is so little, if in fact anything, one can say about a tragic loss like yours. All the ‘I’m sorries’ and ‘my prayers are with you’ ring a bit hollow in the midst of so much pain and grief. So I will say the only thing that has ever brought me peace when I’ve lost someone I love. It is Robert Frost’s poem ‘Nothing Gold Can Stay’ of which I have tattooed on my body in my parent’s handwriting so I will never forget that the moment of gold was worth it.”
“‘Natures first green is gold, her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf’s a flower; but only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, so Dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay,’” Heigl added. “I will never forget Eric’s gold and I will forever be grateful I got to bask in it for even a brief moment in time. Thank you for sharing him with us. God Speed my old friend…here’s to your next great adventure.”
Dane announced his diagnosis in April 2025. “I am grateful to have my loving family by my side as we navigate this next chapter,” he said at the time. “I kindly ask that you give my family and I privacy during this time.”
“With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS. He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife, and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world. Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight. He will be deeply missed, and lovingly remembered always. Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he’s received. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time,” the statement from his family said.
