Rebecca Gayheart Recalls Early Headaches That Preceded Eric Dane's ALS Diagnosis
The former model described subtle symptoms like hand weakness and tingling that appeared months before her late husband's condition was confirmed.
By Julia Wang ·
Rebecca Gayheart identified recurring headaches as the first noticeable sign of Eric Dane’s amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The 55-year-old former model stated that Dane never experienced head pain during their years of dating and marriage, making his recent complaints stand out.
Gayheart recalled questioning why the actor suddenly mentioned headaches when he had never taken pain medication. Dane attributed the pain to sleeping awkwardly on his neck. She noted that while these signs existed, they were not severe enough to trigger immediate concern.
In a memoir released Tuesday, Dane described losing function in his right hand. He reported an inability to use chopsticks, accompanied by tingling and numbness in his fingers. The actor initially blamed the symptoms on excessive texting.
The weakness worsened over three weeks until he could no longer grip utensils. He underwent months of medical testing and was incorrectly diagnosed with multifocal motor neuropathy, a rare autoimmune disorder. Doctors reported high confidence in that diagnosis, citing a 90 percent effective treatment rate.
When the treatment failed to produce results, his medical team grew concerned. Nine months after the initial symptoms, a lumbar puncture, spinal fluid extraction, and brain scans confirmed the ALS diagnosis. Dane publicly announced the condition in April 2025. He and Gayheart filed to dismiss their divorce in the same month.
