Eric Dane’s ALS decline laid bare as he appears visibly frail while struggling into wheelchair with aide’s help

Grey’s Anatomy heartthrob Eric Dane was spotted in a wheelchair at Toronto Pearson Airport on Thursday, looking frail amid his ongoing battle with ALS.

The 52-year-old actor, who first announced his terrible diagnosis in April, was taken out of the minibus with the help of an assistant and directed towards the terminal.

Dressed in a plaid shirt, sweatpants and a baseball cap, Dane had his head down with a somber expression.

This footage shows Dane talking to a photographer at the Washington DC airport and asking, “What would you say to your fans who are hoping everything is okay?” It happened a few weeks after he was in a difficult situation when he asked.

Dane replied softly: ‘Keep the faith, my friend.’

According to sources close to the actor, the beloved star is struggling with his own death.

The 52-year-old actor, who first revealed his devastating diagnosis in April, looked frail

An insider told the Daily Mail: ‘No one wants to think about or address their own mortality but that’s exactly what Eric is going through right now.

‘He knows his destiny and is trying to figure out how he wants to enjoy life, how he can be a beacon of hope and how he can help others who are struggling with themselves. “He also wants to enjoy being with his family and friends and take this time to truly live.”

ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a rare and incurable motor neuron disease that affects approximately 5,000 Americans each year.

Symptoms often progress rapidly and are difficult to detect in the early stages.

Dane first noticed weakness in his right hand in early 2024; He assumed he was “texting too much or my hands were tired.”

After months of tests and numerous specialist visits, he received the official diagnosis in April.

By June he had lost his right arm.

Although the life expectancy of ALS patients usually ranges from three to five years, Dane’s decline was rapid and painful.

Eric was directed to the terminal by an assistant

An assistant helped Eric get out of the van at the airport

According to sources close to the actor, the beloved star is struggling with his own death.

Still, those close to him say he is determined to remain brave in the face of fear.

‘A lot of people take things as they are, a lot of people don’t do anything because they’re afraid,’ the source added.

As a teenager growing up in the Bay Area, Dane was known for his athleticism as much as his charm.

While attending San Mateo High School, he was a standout water polo player who transferred schools to join a more competitive team. “I wasn’t the best, but I was pretty good,”* he recalled to Dax Shepard during an appearance on Armchair Expert last year.

But this year, a family snorkeling trip took a scary turn when Dane realized his body couldn’t take it anymore.

She was swimming on the boat with her daughters Billie (15) and Georgia (13) when she suddenly found herself in distress.

‘When I jumped into the ocean that day and realized I couldn’t swim [or] “Oh my God,” I thought to Diane Sawyer as I generated enough strength to get myself back to the boat. ‘And that’s when I realized: I’m not safe in the water anymore.’

Panicked, he struggled to stay above water until Georgia realized he was in trouble and pulled him to safety.

‘No one wants to think about or address their own mortality, but that’s exactly what Eric is going through right now,’ an insider told the Daily Mail.

Dane first noticed weakness in his right hand in early 2024; He assumed he was “texting too much or my hands were tired.”

“I was about to burst into tears, so I had him go back into the water with his friend and continue snorkeling with the guide,” Dane said. ‘But I’m just heartbroken.’

Through it all, his ex-wife and longtime confidant, Beverly Hills, 90210 actress Rebecca Gayheart, remained one of his strongest sources of support.

The couple’s story began in 2003, when Gayheart, who had just ended her long-term relationship with producer Brett Ratner and starred in Nip/Tuck, met Dane, who was still climbing the Hollywood ladder after small roles in Saved by the Bell, The Wonder Years and Roseanne.

They tied the knot just ten months later, in Las Vegas in 2004.

Their marriage has weathered more than a few storms, including a major scandal in 2009 when a private tape featuring the couple and model Kari Ann Peniche was leaked online.

Although sex is not depicted in the video, the trio is seen partying together and lounging in a jacuzzi. Dane and Gayheart sued Gawker for publishing the footage and later settled out of court in 2010.

Despite the argument, they moved forward together and welcomed daughters Billie in 2010 and Georgia the following year.

But behind the scenes, the actor was quietly struggling with addiction. He started smoking marijuana in his youth and got sober for the first time at age 26.

Erica rose to fame as Dr Mark Sloan from Grey’s Anatomy

But during her Grey’s Anatomy years, the pressures of fame and a relapse during the 2007 Writers Guild strike spiraled her into a spiral.

He eventually checked into rehab in 2011 for a painkiller addiction, admitting: ‘If you take the whole eight years I was on Grey’s Anatomy, I was up longer than I was sober, and that’s when things started to go wrong for me.’*

Dane said he understood creator Shonda Rhimes letting him go, explaining: ‘I wasn’t the guy they hired, so I understood I was let go.’

She returned with a starring role in The Last Ship, but later took a break in 2017 to receive treatment for depression.

By 2018, his marriage to Gayheart had ended and Gayheart filed for divorce after 14 years together.

In a joint statement, they said ending their marriage was the ‘best decision’ for their family and vowed to remain close as co-parents.

They stayed true to their promise and continued to raise their daughter together in Los Angeles.

A year after their split, Gayheart said, “There’s a new normal for me and my family.” ‘It wasn’t easy. But I think what’s exciting is what’s ahead… my kids are happy and healthy.’

Dane’s ALS announcement came shortly after the star and his estranged wife, actress Rebecca Gayheart, 54, decided to call off their divorce after seven years; Photographed with daughters Bille and Georgia in June 2017

When Dane received his ALS diagnosis, Gayheart reportedly halted the divorce process and was determined to be by his side again.

‘We are very good friends. We’re really close. “We’re great co-parents,” she told E! on the eve of his announcement. ‘We’ve really figured out the formula for staying as a family… I think our kids benefit greatly from it and so do we.’

She added: ‘It’s important not to look at a relationship that ended in failure… It was a huge success… We had two beautiful children, so I think it was a successful relationship.’

According to one source, the pair’s renewed bond has been transformative.

‘Rebecca decided not to hold a grudge after Eric was diagnosed and their co-parenting relationship provided them with a friendship that provided everything Eric needed right now,’ the insider said.

‘He is there for her in every sense of the word… they all have the same goal and that is to give their children the best life possible.’

Even as his health deteriorated, Dane did not let ALS define him.

Just days after announcing her diagnosis, she returned to work on the third season of Euphoria, this time sharing scenes with longtime friend Sharon Stone.

“Eric and I have been friends for a long time,” Stone told Entertainment Tonight. ‘I was actually like his support staff when he was trying to get a job on Euphoria… he really wanted that job.’

Despite his limitations, Dane remains committed to his craft. “I’m ready and willing to do just about anything, but I understand that some limitations will keep me from playing certain roles,” he said in June. ‘I’m working on Euphoria. I finished Countdown. As far as that goes, I’m quite capable.’

Although recent revelations suggest his condition has worsened, Dane has made one thing clear: he is not giving up.

“I’m very hopeful,” he told Sawyer. ‘I don’t think this is the end of my story. I don’t feel in my heart that this is the end of me.’