Johnny Depp Gave Eric Dane 'One Less Thing To Worry About' With A Kind Gesture Before His Death

Before his passing at 53, Eric Dane faced ALS with courage, advocacy, and the support of friends, family, and fellow actors.

Now, it has been revealed that Hollywood star Johnny Depp greatly assisted Dane during his final days, easing his burden amid his struggle with the disease.

Eric Dane's dedication to raising awareness, even as the disease progressed, has left a lasting impact on many, with his co-stars, including Patrick Dempsey, remembering him for his humor and advocacy.

Depp quietly offered support to his close friend, Dane, prior to his death. Sources tell Page Six that the "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor opened one of his Los Angeles homes to the actor after the "Grey's Anatomy" star was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), allowing him to live on a pay-what-you-can basis.

"Eric [had] one less thing to worry about," the insider said, explaining that Dane was essentially living rent-free in Depp's Sunset Strip property, and was told to "pay whatever he could or — couldn’t for rent."

The two actors, who connected through mutual friends years ago, remained close as Dane battled the progressive disease.

Dane, 53, passed away on Thursday after a courageous fight with ALS. His family shared in a statement that 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."

The statement continued: "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."

Dane had publicly announced his ALS diagnosis in April 2025. By June, he revealed that the disease had already rendered his right arm unusable.

"My left side is functioning, my right side has completely stopped working," Dane told Diane Sawyer on "Good Morning America."

He continued, "I feel like maybe a couple more months and I won't have my left hand either. It's sobering."

Despite these challenges, Dane threw himself into advocacy, joining the board of directors at Target ALS to support research for treatments and a cure. In November, he portrayed a firefighter with ALS on the show "Brilliant Minds."

In January, he had to cancel his appearance at the ALS Network's Champions for Cures and Care Gala, where he was to be honored, citing the physical limitations imposed by the disease.

Following his passing, Dane's former "Grey's Anatomy" co-star Patrick Dempsey reflected on his friend's final days.

Speaking on "The Chris Evans Breakfast Show" on February 20, Dempsey said he was deeply saddened by Dane's passing.

"I feel really so sad for his children," he said. "I was corresponding with him, we were texting, so I spoke to him about a week ago, and some friends of ours went in to see him, and he was really starting to lose his ability to speak."

Despite the physical challenges Dane faced in his final days, Dempsey emphasized that he wants to remember his friend and co-star for the joy he brought to the set.

"He was bedridden and it was very hard for him to swallow, so the quality of his life was deteriorating so rapidly," Dempsey shared. "He was the funniest man - he was such a joy to work with, and I want to just remember him in that spirit because any time he was on set, he brought so much fun to it.

Reflecting on Dane's advocacy following his ALS diagnosis, Dempsey praised his dedication to raising awareness.

"He did an incredible job at bringing awareness to this horrible disease and those remaining days, and it just reminds us that we all have to celebrate every day like it's our last day," he said.

Dempsey further noted that in a world filled with challenges and hardships, it is essential to be grateful for every moment, spend time with family, help others, and treat those around us with kindness and compassion.

Many of Dane's co-stars also shared heartfelt tributes. Kevin McKidd reposted a photo of Dane on set, originally shared by Variety, writing on Instagram Stories, "Rest in peace buddy…"

Kim Raver, who played Dr. Teddy Altman, shared a throwback of herself with Dane in their doctor's scrubs, along with another photo featuring Dane and his wife, Rebecca Gayheart.

She wrote, "Eric was a light. You'd see it effortlessly shine from him on the set of 'Grey's' as well as when he was with Rebecca and the girls."

Raver added: "During filming, he'd get this twinkle in his eye and with a mischievous look, he would deliver with perfect comedic timing, a line of dialogue that would floor you! You will be missed."