Eric Dane, dead at 53

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it possible he took his life earlier? Usually life expectancy is 3-4 years from diagnosis.

It appears that he decided against a ventilator. That is what makes 3-4 years possible. But not everyone wants to have that experience of the end.

How do you know this?

The video of his last words makes it clear that he was having serious bulbar symptoms but obviously had not already chosen to be ventilated. If he were going to do it, he probably would have done so before then.

RIP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it possible he took his life earlier? Usually life expectancy is 3-4 years from diagnosis.

It appears that he decided against a ventilator. That is what makes 3-4 years possible. But not everyone wants to have that experience of the end.

I don't think the 24/7 care he would have needed for that would have been covered by insurance. And his wife looked completely worn out. I think people start to worry about the financial and emotional impact on their families for these kinds of decisions. Yeah, he could have afforded it, but he probably wanted to preserve the bulk of his wealth for his kids. This is just speculation but honestly I don't think he would mind people discussing it. He spent the last year of his life advocating for more funding for this disease and bravely giving people a glimpse of the toll it takes. So many doctors keep insisting it's just underfunded, and that their are plenty of ideas for more research. I really hope they at least get a real treatment for ALS sometime soon. They say the only drug out there extends life by a few months, if that.

+1. The GFM seemed to be started by friends and I think it’s sad to take away from the conversation about how bravely Eric Dane fought a horrible disease, and how he used his platform to raise awareness of it. RIP.

I agree and would go as far as to say, if you could do the same and earn millions of dollars for your family by simply posting a link, you would honestly be irresponsible not to swallow your pride and do it. Nobody knows what the future brings and pretty much everyone would be wise to take every financial, opportunity they can get.

Many people on this site have the good fortune to have more in their retirement accounts than the GFM amounts in question. And yet, they continue to work and sock more $ away. Funny how they judge others for wanting more money but not themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it possible he took his life earlier? Usually life expectancy is 3-4 years from diagnosis.

It appears that he decided against a ventilator. That is what makes 3-4 years possible. But not everyone wants to have that experience of the end.

I don't think the 24/7 care he would have needed for that would have been covered by insurance. And his wife looked completely worn out. I think people start to worry about the financial and emotional impact on their families for these kinds of decisions. Yeah, he could have afforded it, but he probably wanted to preserve the bulk of his wealth for his kids. This is just speculation but honestly I don't think he would mind people discussing it. He spent the last year of his life advocating for more funding for this disease and bravely giving people a glimpse of the toll it takes. So many doctors keep insisting it's just underfunded, and that their are plenty of ideas for more research. I really hope they at least get a real treatment for ALS sometime soon. They say the only drug out there extends life by a few months, if that.

+1. The GFM seemed to be started by friends and I think it’s sad to take away from the conversation about how bravely Eric Dane fought a horrible disease, and how he used his platform to raise awareness of it. RIP.

I agree and would go as far as to say, if you could do the same and earn millions of dollars for your family by simply posting a link, you would honestly be irresponsible not to swallow your pride and do it. Nobody knows what the future brings and pretty much everyone would be wise to take every financial, opportunity they can get.

Many people on this site have the good fortune to have more in their retirement accounts than the GFM amounts in question. And yet, they continue to work and sock more $ away. Funny how they judge others for wanting more money but not themselves.

They have both been presented as “needing” the money. Eric Dane’s GFM has pictures of him just with his girls younger. They are 16 and 14 and have a mother and it’s all “their futures are uncertain” come on! It is disgusting and their idea that getting money any way any how is ok speaks to your absolute lack of character.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it possible he took his life earlier? Usually life expectancy is 3-4 years from diagnosis.

It appears that he decided against a ventilator. That is what makes 3-4 years possible. But not everyone wants to have that experience of the end.

I don't think the 24/7 care he would have needed for that would have been covered by insurance. And his wife looked completely worn out. I think people start to worry about the financial and emotional impact on their families for these kinds of decisions. Yeah, he could have afforded it, but he probably wanted to preserve the bulk of his wealth for his kids. This is just speculation but honestly I don't think he would mind people discussing it. He spent the last year of his life advocating for more funding for this disease and bravely giving people a glimpse of the toll it takes. So many doctors keep insisting it's just underfunded, and that their are plenty of ideas for more research. I really hope they at least get a real treatment for ALS sometime soon. They say the only drug out there extends life by a few months, if that.

+1. The GFM seemed to be started by friends and I think it’s sad to take away from the conversation about how bravely Eric Dane fought a horrible disease, and how he used his platform to raise awareness of it. RIP.

I agree and would go as far as to say, if you could do the same and earn millions of dollars for your family by simply posting a link, you would honestly be irresponsible not to swallow your pride and do it. Nobody knows what the future brings and pretty much everyone would be wise to take every financial, opportunity they can get.

Many people on this site have the good fortune to have more in their retirement accounts than the GFM amounts in question. And yet, they continue to work and sock more $ away. Funny how they judge others for wanting more money but not themselves.

The first is called grift. The second is called being responsible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is an essay by Rebecca published on December 29, 2025. It is long and worth reading. She talks about their complicated relationship, how they have handled things with their daughters, the reality of managing Eric's care, and she really paints a picture of their reality.

https://archive.ph/oOgsX

I tried to access this article but it won’t let me.

Maybe try again? It worked for me (on Chrome). PP that was a great article, thank you for posting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is an essay by Rebecca published on December 29, 2025. It is long and worth reading. She talks about their complicated relationship, how they have handled things with their daughters, the reality of managing Eric's care, and she really paints a picture of their reality.

https://archive.ph/oOgsX

I tried to access this article but it won’t let me.

Maybe try again? It worked for me (on Chrome). PP that was a great article, thank you for posting.

That was very touching! Thank you for sharing.

[Anonymous]

My only personal experience with ALS was my neighbor's husband being diagnosed. Our kids had grown up together in the same schools, same school bus etc.

When he reached the point of having a hospital bed in the day room and daily hospice, my friend told me he asked to be let go. She told me he wanted to go. "I can't even scratch my own nose" was something she told me he murmured.

So they both quietly told hospice and they upped his morphine and then he was gone.

Her mother moved in and her sons have now never left, I took 2 of her cats that she couldn't manage anymore (having to go back to work) who fought with her mother's little dog.

It was a while ago now, 2018, but I'm now older than when he passed in hospice and always think why do some evil people stay forever and good people who have so many people love them have to leave so soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is it possible he took his life earlier? Usually life expectancy is 3-4 years from diagnosis.

It appears that he decided against a ventilator. That is what makes 3-4 years possible. But not everyone wants to have that experience of the end.

I don't think the 24/7 care he would have needed for that would have been covered by insurance. And his wife looked completely worn out. I think people start to worry about the financial and emotional impact on their families for these kinds of decisions. Yeah, he could have afforded it, but he probably wanted to preserve the bulk of his wealth for his kids. This is just speculation but honestly I don't think he would mind people discussing it. He spent the last year of his life advocating for more funding for this disease and bravely giving people a glimpse of the toll it takes. So many doctors keep insisting it's just underfunded, and that their are plenty of ideas for more research. I really hope they at least get a real treatment for ALS sometime soon. They say the only drug out there extends life by a few months, if that.

+1. The GFM seemed to be started by friends and I think it’s sad to take away from the conversation about how bravely Eric Dane fought a horrible disease, and how he used his platform to raise awareness of it. RIP.

I agree and would go as far as to say, if you could do the same and earn millions of dollars for your family by simply posting a link, you would honestly be irresponsible not to swallow your pride and do it. Nobody knows what the future brings and pretty much everyone would be wise to take every financial, opportunity they can get.

Many people on this site have the good fortune to have more in their retirement accounts than the GFM amounts in question. And yet, they continue to work and sock more $ away. Funny how they judge others for wanting more money but not themselves.

The first is called grift. The second is called being responsible.

The second is making the best of the circumstances in front of you at the present moment. Certainly if they could go back in time they’d do things differently.

I also think the people who donated are by and large, not stupid, and not getting scammed. They know these are tv stars who presumably have or had money. They give their 20 bucks as a show of support for the family. It’s not that serious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is an essay by Rebecca published on December 29, 2025. It is long and worth reading. She talks about their complicated relationship, how they have handled things with their daughters, the reality of managing Eric's care, and she really paints a picture of their reality.

https://archive.ph/oOgsX

She wanted at home 7x24 nursing care. If that’s what he needed why wasn’t he placed in a nursing home? Expensive but cheaper than at home care. Or why not placed in hospice? Most hospice is no cost to the patient or family.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is an essay by Rebecca published on December 29, 2025. It is long and worth reading. She talks about their complicated relationship, how they have handled things with their daughters, the reality of managing Eric's care, and she really paints a picture of their reality.

https://archive.ph/oOgsX

She wanted at home 7x24 nursing care. If that’s what he needed why wasn’t he placed in a nursing home? Expensive but cheaper than at home care. Or why not placed in hospice? Most hospice is no cost to the patient or family.

Uhhhh maybe he wanted to be home?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is an essay by Rebecca published on December 29, 2025. It is long and worth reading. She talks about their complicated relationship, how they have handled things with their daughters, the reality of managing Eric's care, and she really paints a picture of their reality.

https://archive.ph/oOgsX

She wanted at home 7x24 nursing care. If that’s what he needed why wasn’t he placed in a nursing home? Expensive but cheaper than at home care. Or why not placed in hospice? Most hospice is no cost to the patient or family.

People with ALS do not go on ventilators so they can have the quality of life you have in a nursing home. They want to be with loved ones—often, seeing their own kids grow up.

I am not sure hospice would take a patient being actively ventilated, either. They might take someone who had decided to shut the vent off (which a person of sound mind, as Dane was, would have had every right to do—just as it seems he got to turn down the vent in the first place).

The bottom line is that the funding source for both options you mention is Medicaid, and there were too many assets/too much income, too proximate to the need for care, for them to qualify for it.

[Anonymous]

^^And even the speediest possible divorce would not have helped, because they both had decent careers and the only defensible splits of assets would not have been 0/100 in her favor, which is what it would have taken him to get on it. Medicaid is fierce about clawing back money that is disposed of within 5 years of Medicaid.

If you need long-term care in this country with little warning and you have any money, you will be spending that money on that care. The end.

[Anonymous]

Khloe Kardashian stopped her divorce to care for Lamar Odom when he overdosed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My only personal experience with ALS was my neighbor's husband being diagnosed. Our kids had grown up together in the same schools, same school bus etc.

When he reached the point of having a hospital bed in the day room and daily hospice, my friend told me he asked to be let go. She told me he wanted to go. "I can't even scratch my own nose" was something she told me he murmured.

So they both quietly told hospice and they upped his morphine and then he was gone.

Her mother moved in and her sons have now never left, I took 2 of her cats that she couldn't manage anymore (having to go back to work) who fought with her mother's little dog.

It was a while ago now, 2018, but I'm now older than when he passed in hospice and always think why do some evil people stay forever and good people who have so many people love them have to leave so soon.

This was a kind and generous memorial until your last sentence, which is very fraught.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is an essay by Rebecca published on December 29, 2025. It is long and worth reading. She talks about their complicated relationship, how they have handled things with their daughters, the reality of managing Eric's care, and she really paints a picture of their reality.

https://archive.ph/oOgsX

She wanted at home 7x24 nursing care. If that’s what he needed why wasn’t he placed in a nursing home? Expensive but cheaper than at home care. Or why not placed in hospice? Most hospice is no cost to the patient or family.

This wasn't my experience with hospice. My mom wanted to be in a facility they told us that wasn't what they were there for. She didn't want to die at home but just caring for her 24x7 wasn't what they do, it was for palliative care only. She went in a few times for some treatments and then was promptly sent home to wait to die. They visited her in home, told us most people die at home, and my dad had to hire caregivers to come to the house because hospice wasn't there around the clock.