Eric Dane's Estranged Wife Describes Their 'Familial Love' Amid ALS Battle

Eric Dane's estranged wife may no longer be romantically tied to the actor; however, her love for him remains strong.

Rebecca Gayheart addressed their somewhat confusing bond in an emotional essay published on Monday, December 29. She poured her heart out to readers while reflecting on how her relationship with her former partner has changed amid his ALS diagnosis.

Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart tied the knot in October 2004 and separated in February 2018 when the latter filed for divorce. The media personality eventually dismissed the filing in March 2025, a month before the actor announced his neurodegenerative condition.

Gayheart addressed the dynamic of her relationship with Dane in a heartfelt piece for The Cut, reflecting on how his ALS battle has impacted them as a family. "Eric and I have known each other for a million years now; we met in 2003. I care about him deeply," she began.

The mother of two noted that they had a "really lovely marriage" that lasted for over a decade and blessed them with two wonderful girls. Unfortunately, "sh-t went crazy" in their relationship, and they separated but never got to finalize their divorce before ALS came crashing into their lives.

Gayheart noted that they have "a very complicated relationship, one that's confusing for people." Nonetheless, she wouldn't have it any other way as their "love may not be romantic, but it's a familial love." She explained that she would always do what was best for Dane and believed he would do the same for her.

Gayheart's emotional essay continued, with a vow to be an unrelenting part of Dane's ALS journey. She declared that she would do whatever it took to make things easier for the father of her children, particularly to become a role model to her daughters by showing them the right thing to do.

Although she and Dane have not lived in the same house for eight years and have dated other people since their separation, Gayheart stressed that the past did not impact the love and support they still have for each other. She revealed they were a 12-minute drive away from each other and frequently shared meals with their kids.

"We wanna take advantage of the time that he has right now. He made it very clear that he wants to spend time with his family as much as possible, and I am committed to facilitating that," Gayheart shared. She added that they were focused on the present and were yet to have the difficult conversations of what comes next.

Gayheart recalled some of the challenges she faced amid Dane's ALS battle, recalling that his health insurance company had initially denied their request for 24/7 nurses. She claimed a woman at the organization had told her she would keep getting rejected if she appealed.

"I was like, 'Oh? F that.' I made it my mission. I was 'locked in,' as the kids would say," Gayheart claimed. Thanks to her efforts, they got their request for nurses granted after two appeals. On the days when these women couldn't fulfill their shifts during the week, the media personality stepped up to cover them.

Gayheart added that Dane's health battle had opened her eyes to the beauty and cruelty of man, alleging that some of the people she expected to be by her side went AWOL. Although she understood that ALS was difficult for some to handle, it still hurt to lose contact with those she always believed would be by her side.

Although Gayheart seemed to have her hands full with caring for Dane and their daughters, she found time to enjoy her romance with a billionaire businessman, Peter Morton. Early this month, The Blast shared that the lovebirds were spotted on a date.

The "Scream 2" actress and Morton were seen outside a trendy spot in Beverly Hills. They reportedly could not keep their hands to themselves as they cozied up and shared a passionate kiss, flaunting their PDA for all to see.

For their romantic date, Gayheart looked chic in a mini dress and a jacket while Morton rocked an all-black ensemble. The sighting got fans talking again, as the couple has been making waves for their relationship since 2023, and they were spotted earlier this year in Los Angeles.

Weeks before Gayheart's emotional essay, The Blast reported that Dane had announced his plans to release a memoir through Arnold Schwarzenegger's ex-wife, Maria Shriver. The latter confirmed the news on X, noting her book imprint, The Open Field, would publish the project.

Shriver penned her excitement to work with Dane, revealing the upcoming memoir would cover the actor's ALS diagnosis and his experiences with the neurodegenerative condition. Her words sparked a wave of interest among fans, who vowed to support the book.

In a press release, Dane noted that he decided to write "Book of Days: A Memoir in Moments" to encourage those in similar situations. Additionally, he hoped to leave a record of his life, particularly "what it means to live with heart."